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CVE-2017-8540

Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Improper Restriction of Operations Vulnerability

  • High 7.8
  • Exploited: added to CISA KEV 3 Mar 2022
  • A public exploit reference is listed

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.

Key facts

Published
26 May 2017
Last changed
21 Oct 2025
Assigned by
microsoft
KEV added
3 Mar 2022
KEV fix due
24 Mar 2022
EPSS
71.874% likely to be exploited in the next 30 days, higher than 99.435% of CVEs (scores for 15 Nov 2026)
SSVC (CISA)
Exploitation: active; Automatable: no; Technical impact: total

Severity scores

Each score is shown as its source gave it. They are not averaged or merged.

  • 7.8CVSS 3.1, Highfrom CISA (ADP container)CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What to do

  • Apply updates per vendor instructions.CISA KEV required action

Historical context and remediation

This reference retains the original CVE publication date. A recent record update does not mean a new attack occurred.

No separately sourced impact summary is available on this page yet. Consult the description, version data and dated exploitation evidence.

Version statuses below come from the CNA. An “unaffected” version is not necessarily a currently supported release or proof of a patch date. EPSS is a dated risk estimate, not a count of historical attacks.

Read the original CVE record.

Affected products

VendorProductVersions
Microsoft CorporationMalware Protection Engine
  • 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, an (affected)

Timeline

  1. 26 May 2017 Published
  2. 3 Mar 2022 CVE-2017-8540 added to CISA KEV
  3. 3 Mar 2022 Added to the CISA KEV catalogue

Weakness

References