CVE-2017-8540: Technical Deep-Dive (Auto Refreshed)

Generated on 2026-04-02T23:37:11.426Z. This file is automatically regenerated every 30 minutes by the CVE AI enrichment job using web sources (NVD, MITRE, CISA KEV, GitHub).

Executive Technical Summary

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-2017-8538 and CVE-2017-8541.

• Context preserved from previous revision: 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-2017-8538 and CVE-2017-8541. Notes: Ostorlab KEV: One-command to detect most remotely known exploitable vulnerabilities. Sourced from CISA KEV, Google's Tsunami, Ostorlab's Asteroid and Bug Bounty programs.

Technical Details

• CVE: CVE-2017-8540
• KEV date added: 2022-03-03
• KEV due date: 2022-03-24
• NVD published: 2017-05-26
• NVD modified: 2025-10-22
• MITRE modified: 2025-10-21
• CVSS base score: 7.8
• CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
• CVSS exploitability score: 1.8
• CVSS impact score: 5.9
• Attack vector: Local
• Attack complexity: Low
• Privileges required: None
• User interaction: Required
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality impact: High
• Integrity impact: High
• Availability impact: High

Versions and Products Impacted

• microsoft / malware protection engine (versions: >= 1.1.13701.0, < 1.1.13704.0)
• microsoft / endpoint protection
• microsoft / exchange server (versions: 2013)
• microsoft / exchange server (versions: 2016)
• microsoft / forefront endpoint protection
• microsoft / forefront endpoint protection (versions: 2010)
• microsoft / forefront security
• microsoft / intune endpoint protection
• microsoft / security essentials
• microsoft / system center endpoint protection
• microsoft / windows defender
• Microsoft Corporation / Malware Protection Engine (versions: 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.)

Weakness Classification

• CWE-787
• Remote Code Execution

Repositories for Lab Validation (Public Examples)

• Ostorlab/KEV | stars: 608 | updated: 2026-03-23 | https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV
  Notes: Ostorlab KEV: One-command to detect most remotely known exploitable vulnerabilities. Sourced from CISA KEV, Google's Tsunami, Ostorlab's Asteroid and Bug Bounty programs.
• developer3000S/PoC-in-GitHub | stars: 39 | updated: 2025-12-24 | https://github.com/developer3000S/PoC-in-GitHub
• alphaSeclab/sec-daily-2019 | stars: 36 | updated: 2026-03-28 | https://github.com/alphaSeclab/sec-daily-2019
  Notes: 2019年天融信阿尔法实验室在微信公众号发布的所有安全资讯汇总
• vincent-deng/veracode-container-security-finding-parser | stars: 2 | updated: 2026-03-14 | https://github.com/vincent-deng/veracode-container-security-finding-parser
  Notes: Map Vulnerabilities into Different Layers of the Container Image

People and Organizations Mentioned

• microsoft
• Malware Protection Engine
• Ostorlab
• developer3000S
• alphaSeclab
• vincent-deng

Practical Defensive Validation (Authorized Only)

1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.
2. Snapshot infrastructure before validation and preserve baseline logs (EDR, SIEM, OS, app).
3. Use microsoft / malware protection engine (versions: >= 1.1.13701.0, < 1.1.13704.0) in isolated VM snapshots (vulnerable vs patched) and compare process tree telemetry before/after updates.
4. Validate command-execution prevention policies (AppLocker/WDAC/EDR) with harmless test binaries only.
5. Create SIEM detections for suspicious parent-child chains, encoded command usage, and abnormal service creation.

References

• NVD record: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-8540
• MITRE CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-8540
• CISA KEV Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• CISA KEV JSON feed: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
• KEV notes: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-8540
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98703
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038571
• https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2017-8540
• https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42088/
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-8540
• Repository example: https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV
• Repository example: https://github.com/developer3000S/PoC-in-GitHub
• Repository example: https://github.com/alphaSeclab/sec-daily-2019
• Repository example: https://github.com/vincent-deng/veracode-container-security-finding-parser

This content is for defensive security training and authorized validation only.