Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This CVE affects McAfee EDR for Mac before 3.1.0 Hotfix 1. A malicious local script or program could gain capabilities the current user should not have. Business risk is highest where Macs run the affected EDR agent and users or software can execute untrusted code locally.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted endpoint remediation item, not an internet-wide emergency. Prioritize affected Macs because successful local abuse could undermine endpoint controls and expose sensitive systems, but the available sources do not indicate active exploitation.
Technical view
CVE-2020-7288 is a local privilege escalation in McAfee Exploit Detection and Response for Mac, mapped to CWE-274. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8 high: local access, low privileges, high complexity, no user interaction, changed scope, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to macOS endpoints running McAfee Exploit Detection and Response for Mac versions prior to 3.1.0 Hotfix 1. The source bundle does not identify other McAfee products or platforms as affected.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. Exploitation requires local execution by a low-privileged user or program and is rated high complexity, but successful abuse could cross privilege boundaries.
Researcher notes
Key constraints are local attack vector, low required privileges, high attack complexity, no user interaction, and changed scope. The prompt provides no exploit indicators, proof-of-concept status, or detailed root-cause information beyond improper privilege management.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory macOS endpoints running McAfee EDR for Mac.
- Upgrade affected installations to 3.1.0 Hotfix 1 or later.
- Review McAfee advisory SB10317 for vendor-specific remediation guidance.
- Limit local execution of untrusted scripts and software on managed Macs.
- Prioritize endpoints used by administrators or high-value staff.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed McAfee EDR for Mac versions across the fleet.
- Verify each installation is at 3.1.0 Hotfix 1 or later.
- Check endpoint management records for unmanaged or stale Macs.
- Review local security logs for suspicious script or program execution.
- Document exceptions and track them to remediation.
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-2020-7288 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.