CVE-2014-4077
Microsoft IME Japanese Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft Input Method Editor (IME) Japanese
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, and Office 2007 SP3, when IMJPDCT.EXE (aka IME for Japanese) is installed, allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via a crafted PDF document, aka "Microsoft IME (Japanese) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in 2014.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 25 May 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 15 June 2022.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 54.6%, which is higher than 99% 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-2014-4077 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2014-4077.
What does CVE-2014-4077 affect?
CVE-2014-4077 affects Microsoft Input Method Editor (IME) Japanese. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, and Office 2007 SP3, when IMJPDCT.EXE (aka IME for Japanese) is installed, allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via a crafted PDF document, aka "Microsoft IME (Japanese) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in 2014.
How severe is CVE-2014-4077?
CVE-2014-4077 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 54.6%, higher than 99% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 15 June 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2014-4077?
Apply the vendor patch for Microsoft Input Method Editor (IME) Japanese 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.