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9.3

Symantec AntiVirus 10 may miss malware in Internet Explorer

CVE-2008-5543 · published 17 years ago
Summary

When Symantec AntiVirus version 10 scans web pages opened in Internet Explorer 6 or 7, an attacker can hide a malicious program inside an HTML file by adding an executable file header and giving the file a harmless name such as no extension, .txt or .jpg. This tricks the scanner into not detecting the harmful code, allowing the malware to run on the computer. Upgrade to a newer version of Symantec AntiVirus and use a supported, up‑to‑date web browser to protect against this bypass.

What to do

The CVE record does not list a fixed version. Check the vendor's site or the advisory links below - a fix may already be released.

Affected software
VendorProductAffected versions
symantec antivirus 10.0
cpe:2.3:a:symantec:antivirus:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Original advisory text
Symantec AntiVirus (SAV) 10, when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used, allows remote attackers to bypass detection of malware in an HTML document by placing an MZ header (aka "EXE info") at the beginn...
Symantec AntiVirus (SAV) 10, when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used, allows remote attackers to bypass detection of malware in an HTML document by placing an MZ header (aka "EXE info") at the beginning, and modifying the filename to have (1) no extension, (2) a .txt extension, or (3) a .jpg extension, as demonstrated by a document containing a CVE-2006-5745 exploit.
References
Fix within
Internet-facing 14 days
Internal At next upgrade
  • Not known to be exploited
  • Needs hands-on effort to exploit (estimated)
  • Gives an attacker full control (estimated)
Severity
9.3 Critical
Exploitation
3% chance of attack within 30 days
Type
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
Timeline
Published12 Dec 2008
Updated30 Oct 2026
First seen29 Sep 2026
Sources
CVE-2008-5543 · NVD
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