CVE-2017-8540 Microsoft Malware Protection Engine: memory-safety flaw
In plain words: The program mishandles the memory it uses to keep track of data. A specially made input can scramble that memory. Usually lets an attacker crash the program or run their own code with its permissions.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Mar 24, 2022
What to do
- Install Microsoft's security update for Malware Protection Engine. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Improper Restriction of Operations Vulnerability
- Product
- Microsoft Malware Protection Engine
- CISA description
- The Microsoft Malware Protection Engine running on Microsoft Forefront and Microsoft Defender on Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, and 1703, and Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 and 2016, does not properly scan a specially crafted file leading to memory corruption. aka "Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability".
- Type of flaw
- Memory-safety flaw (CWE-119)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 3, 2022
- US federal patch deadline
- Mar 24, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2017-8540 ·
Questions about CVE-2017-8540
Is CVE-2017-8540 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2017-8540 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 3, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2017-8540?
Install Microsoft's security update for Malware Protection Engine. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2017-8540?
Only if you use Microsoft Malware Protection Engine. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.