cbcvebase.
CVE-2017-8620
published 2017-08-08

CVE-2017-8620: Windows Search in 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…

PriorityP264high8.1CVSS 3.0
AVNACHPRNUINSUCHIHAH
EPSS
57.33%
99.1th percentile
Windows Search in 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 allows a remote code execution vulnerability when it improperly handles objects in memory, aka "Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability".

Affected

18 ranges
VendorProductVersion rangeFixed in
microsoftwindows_10——
microsoftwindows_10——
microsoftwindows_10——
microsoftwindows_server_2008——
microsoftwindows_server_2012——
microsoft_corporationmicrosoft_windows_search_component——
msrcwindows_10——
msrcwindows_10_version_1511——
msrcwindows_10_version_1607——
msrcwindows_10_version_1703——
msrcwindows_7——
msrcwindows_8.1——
msrcwindows_rt_8.1——
msrcwindows_server_2008——
msrcwindows_server_2008_r2——
msrcwindows_server_2012——
msrcwindows_server_2012_r2——
msrcwindows_server_2016——

Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote

port445↗
registryHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WSearch↗
registryHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WSearch\Start = dword:00000004↗
processWSearch↗
  • →Monitor for inbound SMB connections (port 445) delivering specially crafted messages to the Windows Search service (WSearch); unauthenticated remote exploitation is possible over SMB in enterprise environments. ↗
  • →Alert on unexpected stops or disabling of the WSearch service (sc stop WSearch / Start registry value set to 4), which may indicate active exploitation or attacker-driven mitigation evasion. ↗
  • →Treat CVE-2017-8620 as a wormable vector; lateral movement via SMB between hosts without requiring authentication is the primary propagation mechanism, analogous to EternalBlue/WannaCry. ↗
  • →Block or firewall port 445 on internet-facing systems to prevent remote unauthenticated exploitation of this vulnerability. ↗
  • ·The workaround (disabling WSearch via registry Start=4 and sc stop WSearch) breaks Windows Search functionality for all applications relying on it; only apply if patching is not immediately possible. ↗
  • ·At time of patch release, no in-the-wild exploitation was confirmed, but Microsoft rated exploitation as 'More Likely' for both latest and older software releases. ↗
  • ·This is NOT a vulnerability in SMB itself and is unrelated to EternalBlue/WannaCry/Petya SMB flaws; SMB is only the delivery channel for the malformed Windows Search service messages. ↗

CVSS provenance

nvdv3.08.1HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvdv2.09.3CRITICALAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
vendor_msrc8.1HIGH
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