Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw lets a local malicious script or program gain capabilities beyond the permissions of the user running it on affected McAfee EDR for Linux systems. It is not remotely exploitable by itself, but it can turn a foothold on a Linux endpoint into broader compromise.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority endpoint security maintenance issue, especially where Linux systems hold sensitive data or support critical operations. It requires local access, so it is less urgent than a remote wormable flaw, but it can materially worsen any endpoint compromise.
Technical view
CVE-2020-7287 is a local privilege escalation in McAfee Exploit Detection and Response for Linux before 3.1.0 Hotfix 1. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8, with low privileges required, high attack complexity, changed scope, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. The mapped weakness is CWE-274.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to organizations running McAfee EDR for Linux versions prior to 3.1.0 Hotfix 1. The attacker needs local execution with low privileges, so risk is highest on endpoints or servers where untrusted users, scripts, or compromised accounts can run code.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked KEV in the bundle. The vulnerability is still operationally important because local privilege escalation can be paired with phishing, credential theft, or another initial-access path.
Researcher notes
The source evidence identifies privilege escalation and the fixed boundary as prior to 3.1.0 Hotfix 1, but does not provide implementation details, affected build granularity, or exploit telemetry. Avoid assuming broader McAfee product exposure without vendor confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade affected McAfee EDR for Linux deployments to 3.1.0 Hotfix 1 or later.
- Review the McAfee advisory for vendor-specific remediation and deployment notes.
- Limit local script and program execution on systems running affected EDR versions.
- Prioritize systems with shared users, developer access, or elevated operational value.
- Monitor affected hosts for unusual privileged actions from low-privileged accounts.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux hosts running McAfee EDR and record installed versions and hotfix levels.
- Confirm no deployment remains below 3.1.0 Hotfix 1.
- Validate endpoint management records against package data on representative Linux hosts.
- Review logs for unexpected privilege-boundary events involving local users or scripts.
- Track exceptions with compensating controls and an owner until patched.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-274: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2020-7287 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H1.16Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10317CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges
Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.