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Panda DomeApplication · Watchguard

CVE-2024-13043

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-12-30
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

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 · unedited
Panda Security Dome Link Following Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Panda Security Dome. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Hotspot Shield. By creating a junction, an attacker can abuse the application to delete arbitrary files. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-23478.

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 confidence

This is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Panda Security Dome's Hotspot Shield component. By creating a Windows junction (symbolic link), a low-privileged attacker can trick the application into deleting arbitrary files. This allows the attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM context and execute arbitrary code.

MitigationApply vendor-provided patches when available. Until then, restrict write access to directories used by the Hotspot Shield component and monitor for suspicious junction creation. Principle of least privilege should be enforced on affected systems.

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
Panda DomeApplication
Affected:= 22.02.01

CVSS 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
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify Panda Dome installation
    Check for Panda Security Dome installation by searching for the product in Windows Programs and Features, or search for Panda Dome executable files in common installation directories such as C:\Program Files\Panda Security\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Panda Security\
    Affected if Panda Dome software is present on the system
  2. Determine installed version
    Locate the Panda Dome version information. This is typically found in the program directory via a version file, or by right-clicking the main executable and selecting Properties > Details. Common file names include PandaDome.exe or within an About section in the application interface
    Affected if The installed version is exactly 22.02.01
  3. Confirm Hotspot Shield component presence
    Examine the Panda Dome installation directory for the Hotspot Shield component. Look for directories or executables related to Hotspot Shield, VPN, or network shielding features. Check C:\Program Files\Panda Security\Panda Dome\ for Hotspot Shield related folders or files
    Affected if The Hotspot Shield component is installed as part of the Panda Dome suite
  4. Inspect for suspicious junction points
    Use the command 'mklink /J' to review any recently created junction points in system directories. Monitor directories commonly targeted by this vulnerability such as %TEMP%, user profile folders, or application data locations. Check for unexpected symbolic links using 'dir /AL /S C:\' or PowerShell Get-Item with ReparsePoint flag
    Affected if Arbitrary junction points exist that point to sensitive system locations or allow file deletion manipulation

A system is affected if Panda Dome version 22.02.01 is installed with the Hotspot Shield component present, allowing a low-privileged user to exploit junction point manipulation for privilege escalation.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply vendor-provided patches when available. Until then, restrict write access to directories used by the Hotspot Shield component and monitor for suspicious junction creation. Principle of least privilege should be enforced on affected systems.

Fix this in Panda Dome Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-13043 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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