.NET and Visual Studio Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CVE-2023-21808
Security Vulnerability
Released: Feb 14, 2023
Last updated: Jun 30, 2023
- Assigning CNA
- Microsoft
- CVE.org link
- CVE-2023-21808
- Impact
- Remote Code Execution
- Max Severity
- Important
- Weakness
- CVSS Source
- Microsoft
- Vector String
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
- Metrics
- CVSS:3.1 7.8 / 6.8Base score metrics: 7.8 / Temporal score metrics: 6.8
Metric
Value
Base score metrics(8)
Attack Vector
This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. The Base Score increases the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable component.
Local
The vulnerable component is not bound to the network stack and the attacker’s path is via read/write/execute capabilities. Either: the attacker exploits the vulnerability by accessing the target system locally (e.g., keyboard, console), or remotely (e.g., SSH); or the attacker relies on User Interaction by another person to perform actions required to exploit the vulnerability (e.g., tricking a legitimate user into opening a malicious document)
Attack Complexity
This metric describes the conditions beyond the attacker’s control that must exist in order to exploit the vulnerability. Such conditions may require the collection of more information about the target or computational exceptions. The assessment of this metric excludes any requirements for user interaction in order to exploit the vulnerability. If a specific configuration is required for an attack to succeed, the Base metrics should be scored assuming the vulnerable component is in that configuration.
Low
Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required
This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess before successfully exploiting the vulnerability.
None
The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction
This metric captures the requirement for a user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise the vulnerable component. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.
Required
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires a user to take some action before the vulnerability can be exploited.
Scope
Does a successful attack impact a component other than the vulnerable component? If so, the Base Score increases and the Confidentiality, Integrity and Authentication metrics should be scored relative to the impacted component.
Unchanged
An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality
This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information resources managed by a software component due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
High
There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity
This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information.
High
There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability
This metric measures the impact to the availability of the impacted component resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. It refers to the loss of availability of the impacted component itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of an impacted component.
High
There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).
Temporal score metrics(3)
Exploit Code Maturity
This metric measures the likelihood of the vulnerability being attacked, and is typically based on the current state of exploit techniques, public availability of exploit code, or active, 'in-the-wild' exploitation.
Unproven
No publicly available exploit code is available, or an exploit is theoretical.
Remediation Level
The Remediation Level of a vulnerability is an important factor for prioritization. The typical vulnerability is unpatched when initially published. Workarounds or hotfixes may offer interim remediation until an official patch or upgrade is issued. Each of these respective stages adjusts the temporal score downwards, reflecting the decreasing urgency as remediation becomes final.
Official Fix
A complete vendor solution is available. Either the vendor has issued an official patch, or an upgrade is available.
Report Confidence
This metric measures the degree of confidence in the existence of the vulnerability and the credibility of the known technical details. Sometimes only the existence of vulnerabilities are publicized, but without specific details. For example, an impact may be recognized as undesirable, but the root cause may not be known. The vulnerability may later be corroborated by research which suggests where the vulnerability may lie, though the research may not be certain. Finally, a vulnerability may be confirmed through acknowledgement by the author or vendor of the affected technology. The urgency of a vulnerability is higher when a vulnerability is known to exist with certainty. This metric also suggests the level of technical knowledge available to would-be attackers.
Confirmed
Detailed reports exist, or functional reproduction is possible (functional exploits may provide this). Source code is available to independently verify the assertions of the research, or the author or vendor of the affected code has confirmed the presence of the vulnerability.
Please see Common Vulnerability Scoring System for more information on the definition of these metrics.
Exploitability
The following table provides an exploitability assessment for this vulnerability at the time of original publication.
- Publicly disclosed
- No
- Exploited
- No
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation Less Likely
FAQ
According to the CVSS metric, the attack vector is local (AV:L). Why does the CVE title indicate that this is a remote code execution?
The word Remote in the title refers to the location of the attacker. This type of exploit is sometimes referred to as Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE). The attack itself is carried out locally. This means an attacker or victim needs to execute code from the local machine to exploit the vulnerability.
According to the CVSS metrics, there are multiple scores. Why does the CVE have different scores and different severities for different products?
There are different scores depending on the product due to the way symbols are read and parsed. Visual Studio has the ability to automatically query symbol servers while .NET only uses symbols present on the disk, requiring the user to manually query the symbol.
Acknowledgements
- goodbyeselene
Security Updates
To determine the support lifecycle for your software, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
Release date Descending
Product
Platform
Impact
Max Severity
Article
Download
Build Number
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Update 5
-
Remote Code Execution
Critical
- 12.0.40700.0
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 Update 3
-
Remote Code Execution
Critical
- 14.0.27555.0
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.06
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2
Windows Server 2016
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.14393.5717
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2
Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.14393.5717
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows Server 2016
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.06
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2
Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.14393.5717
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.06
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.14393.5717
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8
Windows Server 2012
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.8.04614.05
- 4.8.04614.03
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.06
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8
Windows Server 2019
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.04614.06
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.8.4614.08
- 4.8.4614.07
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.6.2
Windows 10 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.10240.19747
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.6.2
Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.10240.19747
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.7.04038.06
- 4.7.4038.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.7.04038.06
- 4.7.4038.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.7.04038.06
- 4.7.4038.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.7.04038.06
- 4.7.4038.05
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 11 version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 11 version 21H2 for x64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 20H2 for ARM64-based Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows 10 Version 20H2 for 32-bit Systems
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows Server 2022
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1
Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation)
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 10.0.09139.02
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.8.04614.05
- 4.8.04614.03
Feb 14, 2023
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 4.7.04614.08
- 4.7.04038.05
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Disclaimer
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Revisions
version
revisionDate
description
5.0
Jun 30, 2023
To address a known issue when after installing the February 14, 2023, security updates for .NET Framework and .NET, users may have experienced issues with how WPF-based applications render XPS documents, Microsoft has released the June 2023 security updates for .NET Framework and for .NET. We recommend that customers install the June 2023 updates. Please note that if you used any workaround or mitigations for this issue, they are no longer needed, and we recommend you remove them. To remove either of the workarounds see the instructions for removal in the "Alternative Workaround" section of KB5022083 Change in how WPF-based applications render XPS documents.
4.0
Jun 13, 2023
In the Security Updates table, added Visual Studio 2013 Update 5 and Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 as they are affected by this vulnerability. Microsoft strongly recommends that customers install the updates to be fully protected from the vulnerability.
3.0
Mar 29, 2023
Microsoft has rereleased KB5022498 to address a known issue where customers who installed the .NET Framework 4.8 February cumulative update (KB5022502), then updgraded to .NET Framework 4.8.1 and subsequently scanned for updates were unable to install KB5022498. Customers who were unable to install KB5022498 should rescan for updates and install the update. Customers who have already successfully installed KB5022498 do not need to take any further action.
2.0
Feb 24, 2023
Revised the Security Updates table to include PowerShell 7.2 because this version of PowerShell 7 is affected by this vulnerability. See https://github.com/PowerShell/Announcements/issues/38 for more information.
1.0
Feb 14, 2023
Information published.
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