CVE-2018-6856

CVE-2018-6856 is a high-severity vulnerability in Sophos Safeguard Easy Device Encryption Client with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-119.

Key facts

Description

Sophos SafeGuard Enterprise before 8.00.5, SafeGuard Easy before 7.00.3, and SafeGuard LAN Crypt before 3.95.2 are vulnerable to Local Privilege Escalation via IOCTL 0x8020601C. By crafting an input buffer we can control the execution path to the point where a global variable will be written to a user controlled address. We can take advantage of this condition to zero-out the pointer to the security descriptor in the object header of a privileged process or modify the security descriptor itself and run code in the context of a process running as SYSTEM.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-6856?
Sophos SafeGuard Enterprise before 8.00.5, SafeGuard Easy before 7.00.3, and SafeGuard LAN Crypt before 3.95.2 are vulnerable to Local Privilege Escalation via IOCTL 0x8020601C. By crafting an input buffer we can control the execution path to the point where a global variable will be written to a user controlled address. We can take advantage of this condition to zero-out the pointer to the security descriptor in the object header of a privileged process or modify the security descriptor itself and run code in the context of a process running as SYSTEM.
How severe is CVE-2018-6856?
CVE-2018-6856 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-6856 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (45th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-6856?
CVE-2018-6856 primarily affects Sophos Safeguard Easy Device Encryption Client. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-6856?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2018-6856 published?
CVE-2018-6856 was published on 2018-07-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (13)

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