HighCVE-2018-0986

    Microsoft Windows Defender: Memory Corruption (CVE-2018-0986)

    Published Sources: CVE.org

    What is affected, what to do

    A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine does not properly scan a specially crafted file, leading to memory corruption, aka "Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Windows Defender, Windows Intune Endpoint Protection, Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft System Center, Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection.

    An exploit is publicly available. The available sources name no fixed version. Check the vendor guidance in the references below.

    Affected
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems..Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 for x64-based Systems..Windows 10 for x64-based Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems..Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems..Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems..Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems..Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems..Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems..Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems..Windows 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems..Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1..Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1..Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems..Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems..Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows RT 8.1..Windows RT 8.1
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1..Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1..Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)..Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2012..Windows Server 2012
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)..Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2012 R2..Windows Server 2012 R2
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)..Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2016..Windows Server 2016
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)..Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
    • Microsoft Windows Defender eq Windows Server, version 1709 (Server Core Installation)..Windows Server, version 1709 (Server Core Installation)
    • Microsoft Windows Intune Endpoint Protection eq Windows Intune Endpoint Protection..Windows Intune Endpoint Protection
    • Microsoft Security Essentials eq Microsoft Security Essentials..Microsoft Security Essentials
    • Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection eq Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection..Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    • Microsoft Exchange Server eq 2013..2013
    • Microsoft Exchange Server eq 2016..2016
    • Microsoft System Center eq 2012 Endpoint Protection..2012 Endpoint Protection
    • Microsoft System Center eq 2012 R2 Endpoint Protection..2012 R2 Endpoint Protection
    • Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection eq 2010..2010

    Not sure whether and how you are affected? Ask a question about this vulnerability

    Metrics

    8.8

    Priority

    XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

    Source: NVD, CVSS v3

    8.8

    CVSS v3

    Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.

    Source: CVE.org

    63.3 %

    EPSS score

    High — model estimates ≥ 50% chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days.

    Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 99.20

    Show all metrics
    Severity
    High
    Priority (0–325)

    The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?

    Read in glossary
    122.73 Methodology
    Exploit maturity

    An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.

    Read in glossary
    PoC (publicly reported)
    XIEM Effective CVSS

    XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.

    Read in glossary
    8.8 Methodology
    CVSS v3

    CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.

    Read in glossary
    8.8
    EPSS score

    The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.

    Read in glossary
    63.3 %
    High — model estimates ≥ 50% chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days.
    EPSS percentile

    The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.

    Read in glossary
    99.20
    Critical — this CVE ranks in the top fifth of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 80%).
    KEV status

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    —
    Published

    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
    High technical severity: assess and remediate the vulnerability in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2 and document the decision.
    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
    From 11.12.2027, Annex I Part II CRA requires manufacturers of affected products with digital elements to handle vulnerabilities without delay and provide security updates.
    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

    A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine does not properly scan a specially crafted file, leading to memory corruption, aka "Microsoft Malware Protection Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Windows Defender, Windows Intune Endpoint Protection, Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft System Center, Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection.

    Source: NVD (NIST), cvelistv5

    Affected products

    The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

    Affected products
    Affected versionsFixed in
    MicrosoftMicrosoft Exchange Server
    • 2013
    • 2016
    • —
    • —
    MicrosoftMicrosoft Forefront Endpoint Protection
    • 2010
    • —
    MicrosoftMicrosoft Security Essentials
    • Microsoft Security Essentials
    • —
    MicrosoftMicrosoft System Center
    • 2012 R2 Endpoint Protection
    • 2012 Endpoint Protection
    • —
    • —
    MicrosoftMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    • Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    • —
    MicrosoftWindows Defender
    • Windows 10 for x64-based Systems
    • Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems
    • Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems
    • Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
    • Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
    • Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems
    • Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
    • Windows Server, version 1709 (Server Core Installation)
    • Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems
    • Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems
    • Windows Server 2016
    • Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems
    • Windows Server 2012 R2
    • Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems
    • Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems
    • Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
    • Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
    • Windows Server 2012
    • Windows RT 8.1
    • Windows 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems
    • Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1
    • Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
    • Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
    • Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
    • Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
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    MicrosoftWindows Intune Endpoint Protection
    • Windows Intune Endpoint Protection
    • —
    microsoftexchange_server
    • 2016
    • 2013
    • —
    • —
    microsoftforefront_endpoint_protection_2010
    • —
    • —
    microsoftintune_endpoint_protection
    • —
    • —
    microsoftsecurity_essentials
    • —
    • —
    microsoftsystem_center_endpoint_protection
    • 2012
    • —
    • —
    • —
    microsoftwindows_defender
    • —
    • —

    Vendors and products

    Public exploit references

    Publicly reported proof-of-concepts, exploit modules and detection templates for this vulnerability. NEOSEC links to the original sources only and does not provide any exploit code.

    Public exploit references
    Exploit-DBEDB-ID 44402 (opens in a new tab)exploit-db.comPoC (publicly reported)reported, not verified—

    References & sources

    • securitytracker.com1040631Vulnerability database, x_refsource_SECTRACK, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
    • securityfocus.com103593Vulnerability database, x_refsource_BID, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
    • portal.msrc.microsoft.comen-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-0986x_refsource_CONFIRM, Patch, Vendor advisory
    • exploit-db.com44402Exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB, Exploit, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database
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    <a href="https://intel.neosec.eu/en/cve/CVE-2018-0986"><img src="https://intel.neosec.eu/badge/cve/CVE-2018-0986.svg?lang=en" alt="CVE-2018-0986 – NEOSEC Intel" height="20"></a>