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CVE-2017-8540

HIGH
7.8
CVSS Score
Published: May 26, 2017 at 08:00 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 01:26 AM UTC
19 products affected across 1 vendorExchange ServerMalware Protection EngineWindows Defender

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Severity
HIGH7.8
Exploitation
CISA KEV
Exploit prediction
EPSS 72%
SSVC
Active

Actively Exploited

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog

EPSS Score71.9%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) estimates a 71.9% chance this CVE is exploited in the wild within the next 30 days — higher than 99% of all CVEs. It complements CVSS: a high EPSS on a mid-severity CVE can still be urgent.

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".

Required Action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Ransomware Use
Unknown
Added to KEV
Mar 3, 2022
Remediation Due
Mar 24, 2022
1677 days overdue
Notes
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-8540

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", a different vulnerability than CVE-2017-8538 and CVE-2017-8541.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Endpoint Protection· Microsoft
95%
All versions
Exchange Server· Microsoft
95%
20132016
Forefront Endpoint Protection· Microsoft
95%
2010
Forefront Security· Microsoft
95%
All versions
Intune Endpoint Protection· Microsoft
95%
All versions
Malware Protection Engine· Microsoft
95%
1.1.13701.0 ≤ v < 1.1.13704.0Microsoft 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.
Affected range stops below 1.1.13704.0, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
microsoft-windows-10-1507 (environment) · microsoft-windows-10-1511 (environment) · microsoft-windows-10-1607 (environment) · microsoft-windows-10-1703 (environment) · microsoft-windows-7 (environment) · microsoft-windows-8-1 (environment) · microsoft-windows-rt-8-1 (environment) · microsoft-windows-server-2008 (environment) · microsoft-windows-server-2012 (environment) · microsoft-windows-server-2016 (environment)
Security Essentials· Microsoft
95%
All versions
System Center Endpoint Protection· Microsoft
95%
All versions
Windows Defender· Microsoft
95%
All versions
Windows 10 1507· Microsoftdevice
80%
All versions

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

Patch and advisory references

References (5)

VDB Entryx_refsource_BIDBroken LinkThird Party Advisory
Source: [email protected]
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98703
VDB Entryx_refsource_SECTRACKBroken LinkThird Party Advisory
Source: [email protected]
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038571
x_refsource_CONFIRMMitigationPatchVendor Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2017-8540
Exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
Source: [email protected]
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42088/
US Government Resource
Source: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-8540

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCActiveNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.8HIGHCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-787

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