CVE-2017-8538

HIGH

Microsoft Malware Protection Engine < 1.1.13704.0 - Remote Code Execution via Crafted File Scan

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2017-8538. PoCs published by Google Security Research.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This is a detailed writeup describing multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine (MsMpEng), including heap overflows, null pointer dereferences, and other memory corruption issues. It provides a table of findings and references test cases but does not include executable exploit code.

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-2017-8540 and CVE-2017-8541.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WRITEUP VERIFIED
by Google Security Research · textdoswindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42081

This is a detailed writeup describing multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine (MsMpEng), including heap overflows, null pointer dereferences, and other memory corruption issues. It provides a table of findings and references test cases but does not include executable exploit code.

Classification
Writeup 100%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: Microsoft Malware Protection Engine (MsMpEng) in Windows 7
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Malformed input files to trigger crashes · PageHeap enabled for MsMpEng.exe (for some vulnerabilities)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (4)

Core 4
Core References
Exploit, Third Party Advisory exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42081/
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98706
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038571

Scores

CVSS v3 7.8
EPSS 0.5028
EPSS Percentile 98.8%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Details

CWE
CWE-119
Status published
Products (4)
microsoft/forefront_security
microsoft/malware_protection_engine < 1.1.13704.0
microsoft/windows_defender
Microsoft Corporation/Malware Protection Engine Microsoft Forefront and Microsoft Defender on Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows
Published May 26, 2017
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026