CVE-2017-8540KEV · OVERDUE

Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Improper Restriction of Operations Vulnerability

High · published May 26, 2017

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 7.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 99.4th percentile for exploit probability.

1674
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
7.8
EPSS
72%
Percentile
99.4
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 A specially crafted file can lead to remote code execution thanks to a memory corruption flaw in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine! ⚡ Think of this as a security guard who’s supposed to inspect packages at a shipping dock but ends up missing a crucial delivery that goes straight past him — this oversight allows attackers to slip in any harmful software they desire! If exploited, an attacker could run arbitrary code on the vulnerable system, potentially allowing them to steal sensitive data or install malware. This is absolutely devastating, as it compromises the integrity of your entire environment, making it a prime target for further attacks.

Put simply

Think of this as a security guard who’s supposed to inspect packages at a shipping dock but ends up missing a crucial delivery that goes straight past him — this oversight allows attackers to slip in any harmful software they desire! The vulnerability arises because the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine fails to properly scan certain specially crafted files, leading to memory corruption. This can be triggered by an attacker who sends a malicious file that the engine cannot handle correctly.

What to do

If exploited, an attacker could run arbitrary code on the vulnerable system, potentially allowing them to steal sensitive data or install malware. This is absolutely devastating, as it compromises the integrity of your entire environment, making it a prime target for further attacks. To safeguard your systems, patch immediately to the latest version of Microsoft Malware Protection Engine. Confirm you’re running updates for Microsoft Forefront, Windows Defender, or any impacted Microsoft product. Regularly check for vulnerability announcements to stay ahead! This is fixable! Follow these steps and you'll have your defenses up and running in no time. 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
7.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.71874 · 99.4th percentile
Published
2017-05-26T20:00Z
KEV added
2022-03-03 · due 2022-03-24
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 03 MAR 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by Mar 24
    kev
  • 26 MAY 20:00Z
    The Microsoft Malware Protection Engine running on Microsoft Forefront and Microsoft Defender on Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1…
    cvelistv5