CVE-2023-41179
Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security
A vulnerability in the 3rd party AV uninstaller module contained in Trend Micro Apex One (on-prem and SaaS), Worry-Free Business Security and Worry-Free Business Security Services could allow an attacker to manipulate the module to execute arbitrary commands on an affected installation. Note that an attacker must first obtain administrative console access on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 21 September 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 12 October 2023.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 4.2%, which is higher than 91.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2023-41179 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2023-41179.
What does CVE-2023-41179 affect?
CVE-2023-41179 affects Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security. A vulnerability in the 3rd party AV uninstaller module contained in Trend Micro Apex One (on-prem and SaaS), Worry-Free Business Security and Worry-Free Business Security Services could allow an attacker to manipulate the module to execute arbitrary commands on an affected installation. Note that an attacker must first obtain administrative console access on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.
How severe is CVE-2023-41179?
CVE-2023-41179 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.2. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 4.2%, higher than 91.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 12 October 2023.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2023-41179?
Apply the vendor patch for Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.