CVE-2026-6064: Norton, Avast, and AVG local privilege escalation via link following in Data Shredder
Link following vulnerability in Data Shredder components in Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Security prior to 26.5.10933 on Windows allows a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During a privileged shred operation, enabling arbitrary file/folder deletion that is leveraged to gain NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM privelages.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Securityto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 26.5.10933
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can exploit this issue?
A local attacker with low privileges on a Windows system can exploit it. The attack requires user interaction to enable or initiate a privileged shred operation.
Which configurations are affected?
The issue affects the Data Shredder components in Norton Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, and AVG Internet Security on Windows before version 26.5.10933. Systems without the affected Data Shredder component are not identified as affected by the provided information.
What is the impact of successful exploitation?
An attacker can abuse arbitrary file or folder deletion during a privileged shred operation to escalate from low privileges to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. This can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.