CVE-2017-8543
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 r2
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2017-8543 is a critical-severity Improper Preservation of Permissions (CWE-281) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data Obfuscation (T1001); ranked in the top 0.5% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
The vulnerability CVE-2017-8543 is a remote code execution flaw in the Windows Search component caused by improper handling of objects in memory. It affects a wide range of Microsoft Windows operating systems, specifically Windows XP SP3, Windows XP x64 Edition SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 and R2, Windows 10 (Gold, 1511, 1607, 1703), and Windows Server 2016. The issue is tracked under CWE-281 and carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit the flaw remotely over the network with no user interaction required, resulting in the ability to execute arbitrary code and take full control of the affected system.
The Microsoft Security Response Center advisory referenced at https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2017-8543 supplies official security guidance and patch information for the vulnerability.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2017-17493
Vulnerability Data
Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Windows XP x64 XP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 and R2, Windows 10 Gold,…
more
1511, 1607, and 1703, and Windows Server 2016 allow an attacker to take control of the affected system when Windows Search fails to handle objects in memory, aka "Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability".
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 24 May 2022
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
—
—
- 5 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
—
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Forces removal or modification of permissions no longer required after reassignment, preventing improper preservation of old access rights.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Enforcing least-privilege permission policies and reviews directly prevents incorrect permission propagation on copy/restore/share operations.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Windows Server 2019 (1 rule)
- V-205743 Windows Server 2019 organization created Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) objects must have proper access control permissions. blocks CWE-281