CVE-2017-8540: Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Improper Restriction of Operations Vulnerability

CVE-2017-8540 · Severity: critical · CVSS 7.8 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2022-03-03

The Microsoft Malware Protection Engine fails to properly scan specially crafted files, leading to memory corruption. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could execute arbitrary code in the security context of the LocalSystem account.

Technologies: Microsoft Malware Protection Engine. Vendors: Microsoft.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2017-8540 exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2017-8540 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 3 March 2022. Treat it as urgent.
How severe is CVE-2017-8540?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 3 March 2022.
Which products and versions are affected?
Microsoft Malware Protection Engine up to 1.1.13704.0; Microsoft Windows Defender; Microsoft Forefront Security; Microsoft Exchange Server 2013; and 7 more.
Is there a fix for CVE-2017-8540?
No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2017-8540 attacked?
It is attacked with local access, in a software library.
Am I affected by CVE-2017-8540?
Check whether you run Microsoft Malware Protection Engine. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Affected products

  • Microsoft Malware Protection Engine up to 1.1.13704.0
  • Microsoft Windows Defender
  • Microsoft Forefront Security
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2013
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2016
  • Microsoft Windows 10
  • Microsoft Windows 7 SP1
  • Microsoft Windows 8.1
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 / R2 SP1
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 / R2
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016

Timeline

  • 2017-05-25: other: Exploit published on Exploit-DB
  • 2022-03-03: kev added: Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
  • 2022-03-03: disclosed

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