UNKNOWN CVSS 10.0
Published: 2012-01-25

CVE-2011-3478

symantec pcanywhere Security Advisory (CVE-2011-3478)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2011-3478 impacting symantec pcanywhere. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 10.0 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
The host-services component in Symantec pcAnywhere 12.5.x through 12.5.3, and IT Management Suite pcAnywhere Solution 7.0 (aka 12.5.x) and 7.1 (aka 12.6.x), does not properly filter login and authentication data, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted session on TCP port 5631.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product symantec / pcanywhere
Affected Versions 12.5
Weakness Enumeration CWE-287

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2011-3478 impacting symantec pcanywhere.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2011-3478.yaml
id: cve-2011-3478

info:
  name: symantec pcanywhere - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2011-3478 affecting symantec pcanywhere.
    Evaluation: The host-services component in Symantec pcAnywhere 12.5.x through 12.5.3, and IT Management Suite pcAnywhere Solution 7.0 (aka 12.5.x) and 7.1 (aka 12...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2011-3478
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
    cvss-score: 10.0
    cve-id: CVE-2011-3478
    cwe-id: CWE-287
  tags: cve,cve-2011-3478,symantec,pcanywhere,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "pcanywhere"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2011-3478.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2011-3478
# Target: symantec pcanywhere | CVSS: 10.0 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2011-3478 (symantec pcanywhere)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against symantec pcanywhere scope (12.5).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2011-3478.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2011-3478
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install pcanywhere 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade pcanywhere 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update pcanywhere

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i pcanywhere 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i pcanywhere

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2011-3478 in symantec pcanywhere?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update symantec pcanywhere packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2011-3478?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2011-3478?

CVE-2011-3478 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 10.0 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
10.0
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2011-3478
Weakness CWE-287
Vendor symantec
Product pcanywhere
Published 2012-01-25
Vector AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C