How severe is CVE-2012-4581?

CVE-2012-4581 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2012-4581 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (65th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2012-4581?

CVE-2012-4581 primarily affects Mcafee Email And Web Security. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2012-4581?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2012-4581 published?

CVE-2012-4581 was published on 2012-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2012-4581

CVE-2012-4581 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Mcafee Email And Web Security with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-287.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 6.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (65th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Mcafee Email And Web Security
Published: 2012-08-22
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

McAfee Email and Web Security (EWS) 5.x before 5.5 Patch 6 and 5.6 before Patch 3, and McAfee Email Gateway (MEG) 7.0 before Patch 1, does not disable the server-side session token upon the closing of the Management Console/Dashboard, which makes it easier for remote attackers to hijack sessions by capturing a session cookie and then modifying the response to a login attempt, related to a "Logout Failure" issue.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2012-4581?: McAfee Email and Web Security (EWS) 5.x before 5.5 Patch 6 and 5.6 before Patch 3, and McAfee Email Gateway (MEG) 7.0 before Patch 1, does not disable the server-side session token upon the closing of the Management Console/Dashboard, which makes it easier for remote attackers to hijack sessions by capturing a session cookie and then modifying the response to a login attempt, related to a "Logout Failure" issue.
How severe is CVE-2012-4581?: CVE-2012-4581 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2012-4581 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (65th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2012-4581?: CVE-2012-4581 primarily affects Mcafee Email And Web Security. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2012-4581?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2012-4581 published?: CVE-2012-4581 was published on 2012-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10020

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:email_and_web_security:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:email_and_web_security:5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:email_and_web_security:5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:email_gateway:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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CVE-2012-4595 — High (CVSS 7.5): McAfee Email and Web Security (EWS) 5.5 through Patch 6 and 5.6 through Patch 3, and McAfee Email Gateway (MEG) 7.0.0…
CVE-2012-4582 — Medium (CVSS 4.9): McAfee Email and Web Security (EWS) 5.x before 5.5 Patch 6 and 5.6 before Patch 3, and McAfee Email Gateway (MEG) 7.0…
CVE-2012-4597 — Medium (CVSS 4.3): Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in McAfee Email and Web Security (EWS) 5.5 through Patch 6 and 5.6 through…
CVE-2012-4580 — Medium (CVSS 4.3): Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in McAfee Email and Web Security (EWS) 5.x before 5.5 Patch 6 and 5.6 before…
CVE-2012-4585 — Medium (CVSS 4.0): McAfee Email and Web Security (EWS) 5.x before 5.5 Patch 6 and 5.6 before Patch 3, and McAfee Email Gateway (MEG) 7.0…

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Other CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2026-42822 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Improper authentication in Azure Local Disconnected Operations allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges…
CVE-2026-20182 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): May 2026: This security advisory provides the details and fix information for a vulnerability that was discovered and…

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