AV software needs kernel privilidges to have access to everything it needs to inspect, but the actual inspection of that data should be done with no privilidges.

I think most AV companies now have a helper process to do that.

If you successfully exploit the helper process, the worst damage you ought to be able to do is falsely find files to be clean.

Anti-cheats also whitelist legit AV drivers, even though cheaters exploit them to no end.