HighPublic exploit

Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

IdentifiersCVE-2018-0986CWE-119

A remote code execution vulnerability in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine arises from improper scanning of a specially crafted file, resulting in memory corruption during content inspection. The flaw affects Microsoft antimalware products that embed the engine, including Windows Defender, Windows Intune Endpoint Protection, Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft System Center, and Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection. Successful exploitation occurs when the engine processes malicious content and can lead to attacker-controlled code execution within the security service context.

For your environment

Are you exposed to this one?

Mallory correlates every CVE against your assets, your vendors, and active adversary campaigns. Know which vulnerabilities matter for you, not just which ones are loud.

Start free trial

ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows remote code execution on a target system through the antimalware scanning pipeline. Because the vulnerable component is a malware protection engine that may automatically inspect files delivered through common channels such as email or downloaded content, exploitation can result in full compromise of the affected host, including loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Until patched, reduce exposure by limiting delivery of untrusted files to systems running affected Microsoft antimalware components, especially workflows that trigger automatic scanning such as mail handling and file ingestion. Restrict unnecessary attack surface on systems processing externally supplied content and monitor for failures or anomalous behavior in malware scanning services. These measures are only temporary and do not replace updating the engine.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the Microsoft security update that corrects the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine scanning flaw. Ensure all affected products using the engine receive the updated engine version through normal security update channels and verify that signature and engine updates are being successfully distributed across managed and unmanaged endpoints.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No valid public exploits. Mallory filtered out 1 candidate as fakes, detection scripts, or README-only repos.

VALID 0 / 1 TOTALView more in app

All candidate exploits were filtered out by Mallory's validation.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

Microsoft CorporationExchange Serverapplication

Microsoft CorporationForefront Endpoint Protection 2010application

Microsoft CorporationIntune Endpoint Protectionapplication

Microsoft CorporationSecurity Essentialsapplication

Microsoft CorporationSystem Center Endpoint Protectionapplication

Microsoft CorporationWindows Defenderapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

2 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

2 SOURCESView more in app

msrc microsoftNews

Mar 2, 2021

CVE-2021-27065 - Security Update Guide - Microsoft - Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Specific vulnerability listed in the content with severity Critical.

msrc microsoftNews

Mar 2, 2021

CVE-2021-26857 - Security Update Guide - Microsoft - Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Specific named vulnerability listed in the content; no product or technical description is provided beyond severity/date and tabular flags.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.

Start free trial

Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity