Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-35628

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows Server 2012 r2

High EPSSMemory Safety
Published
12 December 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.1
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.93 99.8th percentile
Risk Priority 86 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-35628 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2012. Its CVSS base score is 8.1 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked in the top 0.2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV 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.

CVE-2023-35628 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows MSHTML platform, assigned CWE-416 for use-after-free. It carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1 reflecting network attack vector, high complexity, no required privileges or user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The flaw resides in core HTML rendering components used across multiple Windows versions.

An unauthenticated attacker can exploit the issue over the network to achieve arbitrary code execution with full system privileges. The attack requires no user interaction, though the high complexity rating indicates specific conditions must be met for successful exploitation.

Microsoft has published guidance for the vulnerability through its Security Response Center at the referenced advisory URL, which includes patch availability and mitigation recommendations for affected Windows installations. The associated EPSS values of 0.1554 current and 0.1710 peak indicate moderate and relatively stable exploitation probability since disclosure.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Windows MSHTML Platform Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CWE(s)
CWE-416NVD-CWE-noinfo

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
attack.mitre.org →
T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-21375Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-30082Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-26230Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-30028Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-21437Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-38085Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-30006Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-43556Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-38193Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2024-43509Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 10 1507
≤ 10.0.10240.20345
microsoft
windows 10 1607
≤ 10.0.14393.6529
microsoft
windows 10 1809
≤ 10.0.17763.5206
microsoft
windows 10 21h2
≤ 10.0.19041.3803
microsoft
windows 10 22h2
≤ 10.0.19045.3803
microsoft
windows 11 21h2
≤ 10.0.22000.2652
microsoft
windows 11 22h2
≤ 10.0.22621.2861
microsoft
windows 11 23h2
≤ 10.0.22631.2861
microsoft
windows server 2008
r2
microsoft
windows server 2012
all versions, r2
+4 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.4.3

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.

SI-16 Memory Protection
addresses: CWE-416

Use-after-free exploits that achieve arbitrary code execution are blocked or significantly hardened by non-executable pages and ASLR.

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.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly incorporate memory-safety tooling and reviews that prevent most use-after-free defects.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes can discover use-after-free issues via scanning or analysis but do not prevent their introduction.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching removes known use-after-free instances after they have been introduced in released software.

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.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development can detect use-after-free bugs before release.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure SDLC mandates memory-safety practices that reduce use-after-free defects.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify memory-management rules that mitigate use-after-free.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles include memory-safety design choices that limit use-after-free exposure.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards directly prescribe avoidance of use-after-free patterns.

A.8.32 Change management partial match
prevents

Change-management processes help ensure memory-safety fixes are deployed consistently.

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` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248592 OL 8 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. prevents CWE-416
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230279 RHEL 8 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. prevents CWE-416
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
  • V-257794 RHEL 9 must clear memory when it is freed to prevent use-after-free attacks. prevents CWE-416

References