CVE-2019-18979: Adaware antivirus 12.6.1005.11662 and 12.7.1055.0 has a quarantine flaw that allows privilege escalation

Routine

HIGH 7.8UPGRADE

CVE-2019-18979 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.8) affecting adaware antivirus. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Adaware antivirus 12.6.1005.11662 and 12.7.1055.0 has a quarantine flaw that allows privilege escalation. Exploitation uses an NTFS directory junction to restore a malicious DLL from quarantine into the system32 folder.

Why this priority

High severity

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.8 (High)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	0.5% (top 59%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2020-03-18
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: claranova

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2020-03-18 21:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 02:25 UTCUpdated Record last modified

claranova adaware antivirus UPGRADE

Affected: >= 12.6.1005.11662 and <= 12.7.1055.0

Fixed in: newer than 12.7.1055.0

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 12.6.1005.11662

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy adaware-antivirus || rpm -q adaware-antivirus || adaware-antivirus --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 12.7.1055.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade adaware-antivirus

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade adaware-antivirus

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

3. If no update is available yet, DOWNGRADE to a release before 12.6.1005.11662 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison adaware-antivirus sudo apt install adaware-antivirus=<VERSION_BEFORE_12.6.1005.11662> sudo apt-mark hold adaware-antivirus

3. If no update is available yet, DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list adaware-antivirus sudo dnf downgrade adaware-antivirus-<VERSION_BEFORE_12.6.1005.11662> sudo dnf versionlock add adaware-antivirus

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2019-18979?

adaware antivirus: upgrade to newer than 12.7.1055.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2019-18979 being exploited?

CVE-2019-18979 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2019-18979 affect?

CVE-2019-18979 affects adaware antivirus. Severity is high (CVSS 7.8). Adaware antivirus 12.6.1005.11662 and 12.7.1055.0 has a quarantine flaw that allows privilege escalation. Exploitation uses an NTFS directory junction to restore a malicious DLL from quarantine into the system32 folder.

How urgent is CVE-2019-18979?

Priority 38/100. High severity

References

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