Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-32521 is a critical-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Trendmicro Mobile Security. Its CVSS base score is 9.1 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data Obfuscation (T1001); ranked in the top 0.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
A path traversal vulnerability exists in a specific service DLL within Trend Micro Mobile Security (Enterprise) version 9.8 SP5. Tracked as CVE-2023-32521 and assigned CWE-22, the flaw permits deletion of arbitrary files on affected systems and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.1 reflecting network-accessible attack vectors that require no authentication.
An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit the issue over the network to remove arbitrary files, resulting in high impact to integrity and availability without any user interaction. The attack requires no privileges and targets the exposed service component directly.
Trend Micro has published remediation guidance in solution article 000293106, directing customers to apply the available patch or configuration update for the affected Mobile Security (Enterprise) 9.8 SP5 deployment. Independent analysis from Tenable Research (TRA-2023-17) corroborates the technical details and confirms the unauthenticated remote deletion capability.
The EPSS score for this CVE has climbed from a low baseline to a peak of 0.7118 (current value 0.6631), indicating that exploitation interest emerged after public disclosure and that the vulnerability warrants renewed attention.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-36765
Vulnerability Data
A path traversal exists in a specific service dll of Trend Micro Mobile Security (Enterprise) 9.8 SP5 which could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to delete arbitrary files.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V5.3.2
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Validates pathnames and filenames to prevent traversal outside intended directories.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.
PR.AA-05 defines and reviews access policies but does not address code-level pathname neutralization, so neither direction prevents CWE-22.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.