CVE-2017-8464

Microsoft Windows: Shell (.lnk) Remote Code Execution

As of , CVE-2017-8464 in Microsoft Windows is on CISA's list of exploited vulnerabilities: CISA listed it on . Our patch-first group: Patch this week.

Exploited
Yes: CISA listed it on 10 February 2022
US federal deadline
10 August 2022181 days after CISA listed it. US federal civilian agencies must fix it by then.
Used in ransomware campaigns
Not known to CISA
EPSS score
0.90Higher than 99% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
EPSS when listed
0.96 on 10 February 2022EPSS on the day CISA listed it.
Public exploit
2 Metasploit modules and 2 Exploit-DB entries
Fix
No vendor link in CISA's entry

What CISA says to do

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA's required action

What the flaw is

Windows Shell in multiple versions of Microsoft Windows allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted .LNK file

CISA's description

Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, 1703, and Windows Server 2016 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted .LNK file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer or any other application that parses the icon of the shortcut. aka "LNK Remote Code Execution Vulnerability."

The CVE record's description, from microsoft

CVE published
15 June 2017
Assigned by
microsoft
CVSS
8.8 High (CVSS 3.1, from CISA-ADP)
CISA SSVC, exploitation
active
CISA SSVC, automatable
no
CISA SSVC, technical impact
total

Timeline

  1. The CVE record was published.
  2. Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 42382).
  3. Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 42429).
  4. CISA added it to its list of exploited vulnerabilities.
  5. The US federal deadline to fix it.

Public exploits

Facts from Metasploit's module list and Exploit-DB's index; we never copy exploit code.

Windows: other exploited entries

VulnerabilityProductOur groupListedDeadlineEPSS
CVE-2025-60710Link FollowingMicrosoft WindowsPatch nowRansomware use, listed within a year0.05
CVE-2008-4250Buffer OverflowMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.99; verified Exploit-DB entry0.99
CVE-2008-0015Video ActiveX Control Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.77; verified Exploit-DB entry0.77
CVE-2013-3918Out-of-Bounds WriteMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.74; verified Exploit-DB entry0.74
CVE-2010-2568Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.91; verified Exploit-DB entry0.91
CVE-2015-0016TS WebProxy Directory TraversalMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.76; verified Exploit-DB entry0.76
CVE-2015-2426Adobe Type Manager Library Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.87; verified Exploit-DB entry0.87
CVE-2014-6332Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) Automation Array Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.95; verified Exploit-DB entry0.95
CVE-2017-0146SMB Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.90; verified Exploit-DB entry0.90
CVE-2014-4114Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) Remote Code ExecutionMicrosoft WindowsPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.82; verified Exploit-DB entry0.82

All 174 entries for Windows

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