CVE-2021-40444
Microsoft MSHTML: Remote Code Execution
As of , CVE-2021-40444 in Microsoft MSHTML 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 3 November 2021
- US federal deadline
- 17 November 202114 days after CISA listed it. US federal civilian agencies must fix it by then.
- Used in ransomware campaigns
- Known
- EPSS score
- 0.97Higher than 99% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
- EPSS when listed
- Not availableCISA listed it before 4 February 2022, where the EPSS files we read begin.
- Public exploit
- 1 Metasploit module
- 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
Microsoft MSHTML contains a unspecified vulnerability that allows for remote code execution.
CISA's description
Microsoft is investigating reports of a remote code execution vulnerability in MSHTML that affects Microsoft Windows. Microsoft is aware of targeted attacks that attempt to exploit this vulnerability by using specially-crafted Microsoft Office documents. An attacker could craft a malicious ActiveX control to be used by a Microsoft Office document that hosts the browser rendering engine. The attacker would then have to convince the user to open the malicious document. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint both provide detection and protections for the known vulnerability. Customers should keep antimalware products up to date. Customers who utilize automatic updates do not need to take additional action. Enterprise customers who manage updates should select the detection build 1.349.22.0 or newer and deploy it across their environments. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint alerts will be displayed as: “Suspicious Cpl File Execution”. Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to help protect our customers. This may include providing a security update through our monthly release process or providing an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs.
The CVE record's description, from microsoft, shortened; full text on cve.org
- CVE published
- 15 September 2021
- Assigned by
- microsoft
- CVSS
- 8.8 High (CVSS 3.1, from the CNA)
- CWE-22
- Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
- CISA SSVC, exploitation
- active
- CISA SSVC, automatable
- no
- CISA SSVC, technical impact
- total
Timeline
- The CVE record was published.
- CISA added it to its list of exploited vulnerabilities.
- 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.
- Metasploit: Microsoft Office Word Malicious MSHTML RCEexploit module, rank excellent
MSHTML: other exploited entries
| Vulnerability | Product | Our group | Listed | Deadline | EPSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2019-0541Remote Code Execution | Microsoft MSHTML | Patch this weekEPSS 0.53 | 0.53 |
Read further
- CVE recordcve.org
- NVD entrynvd.nist.gov
- CISA's catalogcisa.gov
- EPSS for this CVEapi.first.org