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CRITICAL · CVSS 9.8 CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

CVE-2017-8543

Microsoft Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Windows XP x64 XP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 and R2, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, and 1703, and Windows Server 2016 allow an attacker to take control of the affected system when Windows Search fails to handle objects in memory, aka "Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability".

CVSS
9.8
CRITICAL
EPSS
74.2%
30-day exploitation
Ransomware groups
0
recorded exploiting
Published
15 Jun 2017
CWE-281

Exploitation status

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Listed by CISA on 24 May 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 14 June 2022.

EPSS — exploitation probability

FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 74.2%, which is higher than 99.5% 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:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2017-8543 being exploited by ransomware groups?

No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2017-8543.

What does CVE-2017-8543 affect?

CVE-2017-8543 affects Microsoft Windows. Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Windows XP x64 XP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 and R2, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, and 1703, and Windows Server 2016 allow an attacker to take control of the affected system when Windows Search fails to handle objects in memory, aka "Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability".

How severe is CVE-2017-8543?

CVE-2017-8543 is rated CRITICAL with a CVSS base score of 9.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 74.2%, higher than 99.5% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 14 June 2022.

How should organisations respond to CVE-2017-8543?

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.