HIGH CVSS 8.8
Published: 2022-09-27

CVE-2022-41604

checkpoint zonealarm Security Advisory (CVE-2022-41604)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2022-41604 impacting checkpoint zonealarm. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 8.8 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Check Point ZoneAlarm Extreme Security before 15.8.211.19229 allows local users to escalate privileges. This occurs because of weak permissions for the %PROGRAMDATA%\CheckPoint\ZoneAlarm\Data\Updates directory, and a self-protection driver bypass that allows creation of a junction directory. This can be leveraged to perform an arbitrary file move as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Local (AV:L)
Requires local system execution permissions
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
Low (PR:L)
Standard user access required
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Changed (S:C)
Impacts components beyond caller authority
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product checkpoint / zonealarm
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-269

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-2022-41604 impacting checkpoint zonealarm.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2022-41604.yaml
id: cve-2022-41604

info:
  name: checkpoint zonealarm - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2022-41604 affecting checkpoint zonealarm.
    Evaluation: Check Point ZoneAlarm Extreme Security before 15.8.211.19229 allows local users to escalate privileges. This occurs because of weak permissions for th...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2022-41604
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 8.8
    cve-id: CVE-2022-41604
    cwe-id: CWE-269
  tags: cve,cve-2022-41604,checkpoint,zonealarm,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "zonealarm"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2022-41604.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2022-41604
# Target: checkpoint zonealarm | CVSS: 8.8 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2022-41604 (checkpoint zonealarm)...")
    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 checkpoint zonealarm scope (*).")
        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-2022-41604.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2022-41604
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install zonealarm 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade zonealarm 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update zonealarm

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

# 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-2022-41604 in checkpoint zonealarm?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update checkpoint zonealarm 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-2022-41604?

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-2022-41604?

CVE-2022-41604 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 8.8 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
8.8
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2022-41604
Weakness CWE-269
Vendor checkpoint
Product zonealarm
Published 2022-09-27
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H