Vpn ClientApplication · Cisco
CVE-2011-2678
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe Cisco VPN Client 5.0.7.0240 and 5.0.7.0290 on 64-bit Windows platforms uses weak permissions (NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE:F) for cvpnd.exe, which allows local users to gain privileges by replacing this executable file with an arbitrary program, aka Bug ID CSCtn50645. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of a CVE-2007-4415 regression.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe Cisco VPN Client 5.0.7.0240 and 5.0.7.0290 on 64-bit Windows installs the cvpnd.exe service binary with weak permissions (NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE:F), granting interactive users write access to the executable. Local attackers can replace cvpnd.exe with a malicious binary to achieve privilege escalation when the service restarts.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Vpn ClientApplication
= 5.0.7.0240= 5.0.7.0290CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- Single
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Locate the cvpnd.exe binarySearch for cvpnd.exe in typical Cisco VPN Client installation paths such as C:\Program Files\Cisco Systems\VPN Client\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Cisco Systems\VPN Client\, or use the command 'dir /s /b C:\cvpnd.exe'Affected if The cvpnd.exe file is found in any Cisco VPN Client installation directory
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Verify the installed version of cvpnd.exeRight-click cvpnd.exe, select Properties, and check the Version tab to confirm the file versionAffected if The file version is exactly 5.0.7.0240 or 5.0.7.0290
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Inspect file permissions on cvpnd.exeOpen Command Prompt as Administrator and run 'icacls "C:\Program Files\Cisco Systems\VPN Client\cvpnd.exe"' (adjust path as needed) to view the access control listAffected if The output shows NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE or INTERACTIVE users have F (Full Control) or W (Write) permissions on cvpnd.exe
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Check if the Cisco VPN service is configuredOpen Services (services.msc) and look for a Cisco VPN-related service, or run 'sc query cvpnd' from the command lineAffected if The Cisco VPN service (cvpnd) is installed and present on the system
A system is affected if Cisco VPN Client versions 5.0.7.0240 or 5.0.7.0290 are installed AND the cvpnd.exe binary grants INTERACTIVE users write permissions.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataReplace the affected cvpnd.exe binary with a version that has restricted permissions (removing INTERACTIVE write access), or upgrade the Cisco VPN Client to a patched version.
Fix this in Vpn Client
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,696.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2011-2678 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2011-2678 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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