CVE-2019-0708 Microsoft Remote Desktop Services: 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 May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install Microsoft's security update for Remote Desktop Services. 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 Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- Microsoft Remote Desktop Services
- CISA description
- Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, formerly known as Terminal Service, contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated attacker to connect to the target system using RDP and send specially crafted requests. Successful exploitation allows for remote code execution. The vulnerability is also known under the moniker of BlueKeep.
- Type of flaw
- Memory-safety flaw (CWE-416)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2019-0708 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-0708
Is CVE-2019-0708 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-0708 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2019-0708?
Install Microsoft's security update for Remote Desktop Services. 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-2019-0708?
Only if you use Microsoft Remote Desktop Services. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.