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HIGH · CVSS 7.8 CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

CVE-2010-2568

Microsoft Windows Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Microsoft Windows

Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer, as demonstrated in the wild in July 2010, and originally reported for malware that leverages CVE-2010-2772 in Siemens WinCC SCADA systems.

CVSS
7.8
HIGH
EPSS
91.3%
30-day exploitation
Ransomware groups
0
recorded exploiting
Published
22 Jul 2010
NVD

Exploitation status

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Listed by CISA on 15 September 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 6 October 2022.

EPSS — exploitation probability

FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 91.3%, which is higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2010-2568 being exploited by ransomware groups?

No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2010-2568.

What does CVE-2010-2568 affect?

CVE-2010-2568 affects Microsoft Windows. Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer, as demonstrated in the wild in July 2010, and originally reported for malware that leverages CVE-2010-2772 in Siemens WinCC SCADA systems.

How severe is CVE-2010-2568?

CVE-2010-2568 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 91.3%, higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 6 October 2022.

How should organisations respond to CVE-2010-2568?

Apply the vendor patch for Microsoft Windows as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.