Microsoft Windows Buffer Overflow Vulnerability (CVE-2008-4250)

What is affected, what to do

The Server service in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2 and SP3, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Vista Gold and SP1, Server 2008, and 7 Pre-Beta allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted RPC request that triggers the overflow during path canonicalization, as exploited in the wild by Gimmiv.A in October 2008, aka "Server Service Vulnerability."

The vulnerability is being actively exploited; treat it as a priority. The available sources name no fixed version. Check the vendor guidance in the references below. Immediate actions, mitigation and detection rules are in the runbook below.

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Metrics

Response and mitigation

1. 01

   Runbook step 1

   Immediate response (0-24 h)

   • Build the asset list: identify every host running Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista or Server 2008 (non-R2). Pay particular attention to legacy boxes in OT, lab and medical-device networks. Use CMDB and EDR inventory, or scan with nmap -p445 --script smb-vuln-ms08-067 under change control, because the script can crash unstable services.
   • Apply the vendor fix: Microsoft addressed this in Security Bulletin MS08-067 (KB958644). Look up the exact package per OS in the vendor advisory. Where a host cannot be patched, move straight to compensating controls.
   • Block TCP 139 and 445 at the perimeter and at every zone boundary, especially inbound from the internet, VPN pools, guest Wi-Fi and partner links. Move affected legacy hosts into an isolated VLAN.
   • On hosts that do not need to serve file or print shares, disable the Server (LanmanServer) and Computer Browser services: run sc config lanmanserver start= disabled, then sc stop lanmanserver.
   • If you suspect compromise (svchost.exe crashes, unknown services or scheduled tasks), isolate the host and capture memory. Then rotate local admin and service-account passwords. Worms that exploit this flaw typically propagate laterally next.
2. 02

   Runbook step 2

   Mitigation layers

   • Network segmentation: restrict east-west SMB (TCP 139/445) to designated file servers and domain controllers. Workstation VLANs should not talk SMB to each other (default deny).
   • IPS/IDS: enable the MS08-067 / NetPathCanonicalize signatures. ET and Snort rulesets cover oversized path arguments in \srvsvc requests with opnum 0x1f. Run them in blocking mode on internal sensors, not just at the edge.
   • Host firewall: use GPO to allow inbound SMB only from management and server subnets. On XP/2003, scope the "File and Printer Sharing" exception to the local subnet or tighter.
   • RPC filter (Vista/Server 2008): block the srvsvc interface UUID 4b324fc8-1670-01d3-1278-5a47bf6ee188 via netsh rpc filter on hosts that do not serve shares.
   • Anonymous access: set RestrictAnonymous and prune NullSessionPipes under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters. This shrinks the unauthenticated attack surface on XP/2003.
   • Lifecycle: every affected OS is end-of-life. Record a migration plan or formal risk acceptance in the ISMS (ISO 27001 A.8.8) and track these hosts as high-risk assets until they are retired.
3. 03

   Runbook step 3

   Detection rules

   • Network (Zeek/Suricata): in dce_rpc.log, hunt for operation == "NetprPathCanonicalize" over the \srvsvc named pipe from anything other than admin jump hosts. Escalate any Suricata alert in the MS08-067 category at top priority.
   • Windows System log: look for Event ID 7031/7034 (Service Control Manager) showing the Server service or its svchost host terminating unexpectedly. Also check Application Event 1000/1001 with svchost.exe/netapi32.dll as the faulting module. These are classic artefacts of failed exploit attempts.
   • EDR/Sysmon process ancestry: look for Sysmon EID 1 where the parent is svchost.exe -k netsvcs and the child is cmd.exe, rundll32.exe, regsvr32.exe or tftp.exe. Sigma shape: selection: ParentCommandLine|contains: '-k netsvcs' and Image|endswith: ['\cmd.exe','\rundll32.exe'].
   • Worm-style spread: flag a single host connecting to many destinations on TCP 445 in a short window. KQL: DeviceNetworkEvents | where RemotePort == 445 | summarize dcount(RemoteIP) by DeviceName, bin(Timestamp, 5m) | where dcount_RemoteIP > 50.
   • Persistence: watch for Event ID 7045 (new service) and 4698 (scheduled task). Also look for randomly named DLLs in %System32% loaded via svchost -k netsvcs.

Detection rules

No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

Classification under NIS2 and CRA

Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

NIS2

NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

Read in glossary

Actively exploited: treat the vulnerability as a priority in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2. If it is exploited in your environment, check the reporting obligation under Art. 23 (early warning within 24 hours).

CRA

The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

Read in glossary

Since 11.09.2026, manufacturers of affected products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities under Art. 14 CRA, with an early warning within 24 hours via ENISA's single reporting platform.

ISO/IEC 27001

ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

Read in glossary

Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

Description

The Server service in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2 and SP3, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Vista Gold and SP1, Server 2008, and 7 Pre-Beta allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted RPC request that triggers the overflow during path canonicalization, as exploited in the wild by Gimmiv.A in October 2008, aka "Server Service Vulnerability."

Source: NVD (NIST), cvelistv5, CISA KEV Catalog

Vendors and products

• Microsoft Microsoft Windows 2000 Japanese Server Edition
• Microsoft Microsoft Windows Server 2003
• Microsoft Microsoft Windows Server 2008
• Microsoft Microsoft Windows Vista Gold on X64
• Microsoft Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 Home Edition

Weakness classes (CWE)

• CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

  Class

  The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary. This may result in read or write operations on unexpected memory locations that could be linked to other variables, data structures, or internal program data.

  Entry at MITRE CWE-119

References & sources

• marc.infoSSRT080164Vendor advisory, x_refsource_HP, Issue tracking, Mailing list, Third-party advisory
• secunia.com32326Third-party advisory, x_refsource_SECUNIA, Patch, Vendor advisory
• kb.cert.orgVU#827267Third-party advisory, x_refsource_CERT-VN, Third-party advisory, US government resource
• securitytracker.com1021091Vulnerability database, x_refsource_SECTRACK, Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• exploit-db.com7132Exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB, Exploit, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• exploit-db.com6841Exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB, Exploit, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• securityfocus.com31874Vulnerability database, x_refsource_BID, Broken link, Exploit, Patch, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• docs.microsoft.comMS08-067Vendor advisory, x_refsource_MS, Patch, Vendor advisory
• blogs.securiteam.comindex.php/archives/1150x_refsource_MISC, Permissions required
• exploit-db.com6824Exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB, Exploit, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• vupen.comADV-2008-2902Vulnerability database, x_refsource_VUPEN, Vendor advisory
• exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.comwin-server-rpc-code-execution(46040)Vulnerability database, x_refsource_XF, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• securityfocus.com20081026 Windows RPC MS08-067 FAQ document releasedMailing list, x_refsource_BUGTRAQ, Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• us-cert.govTA08-297AThird-party advisory, x_refsource_CERT, Broken link, Third-party advisory, US government resource
• exploit-db.com7104Exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB, Exploit, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• us-cert.govTA09-088AThird-party advisory, x_refsource_CERT, Third-party advisory, US government resource
• oval.cisecurity.orgoval:org.mitre.oval:def:6093Vulnerability database, signature, x_refsource_OVAL, Broken link, Third-party advisory
• securityfocus.com20081027 Windows RPC MS08-067 FAQ document updatedMailing list, x_refsource_BUGTRAQ, Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
• cisa.govknown-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2008-4250government-resource, US government resource