CVE-2010-2568
Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or…
- 7.8HighCVSS base score
- 89.6%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 0.2% of all CVEs
- YesKnown exploitedin CISA's KEV since 15 Sept 2022
- 5Public exploitsMetasploit, Nuclei and Exploit-DB
Description
Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer, as demonstrated in the wild in July 2010, and originally reported for malware that leverages CVE-2010-2772 in Siemens WinCC SCADA systems.
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as Microsoft Windows Remote Code Execution Vulnerability.
- Added
- 15 Sept 2022
- Fix due (US federal)
- 6 Oct 2022
- Used by ransomware
- Not known
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
ENISA's EU Vulnerability Database lists it as exploited, from CISA's KEV, since 15 Sept 2022.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. The public collections list 3 Metasploit modules and 2 Exploit-DB entries for it. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: it is being exploited.
Show the exploits5
Metasploit modules3 modules
- Microsoft Windows Shell LNK Code Execution (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/windows/browser/ms10_046_shortcut_icon_dllloaderRank excellentdisclosed 16 Jul 2010
- Microsoft Windows Shell LNK Code Execution (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/windows/smb/ms10_046_shortcut_icon_dllloaderRank excellentdisclosed 16 Jul 2010
- FannyBMP or DementiaWheel Detection Registry Check (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
post/windows/gather/forensics/fanny_bmp_checkRank normal
Exploit-DB2 entries
- Microsoft Windows - Shell LNK Code Execution (MS10-046) (Metasploit) (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 16574remote, windowspublished 21 Sept 2010Verified
- Microsoft Windows - Automatic .LNK Shortcut File Code Execution (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 14403local, windowspublished 18 Jul 2010Verified
Modules, templates and exploits as listed by the Metasploit Framework (BSD-3-Clause), ProjectDiscovery's Nuclei templates (MIT) and the Exploit Database (GPLv2), read once a day. Where the data comes from
Timeline
ID reserved
By microsoft
- 22 days later
· 22 days later
Published
- 12 years later
· 12 years later
Added to CISA KEV
Known exploited in the wild
- 3 years later
· 3 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 89.6% · top 0.2% of all CVEs (10 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.8.
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
References
15
- TA10-222A (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_CERTx_transferred
- http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=9181 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:11564 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entrysignaturex_refsource_OVALx_transferred
- http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00001986.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- VU#940193 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_CERT-VNx_transferred
- http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/07/experts-warn-of-new-windows-shortcut-flaw/ (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 40647 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
- http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/2286198.mspx (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=9190 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 41732 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDx_transferred
- http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/new_rootkit_en.pdf (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://www.geoffchappell.com/notes/security/stuxnet/ctrlfldr.htm (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 1024216 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKx_transferred
- MS10-046 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_MSx_transferred
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2010-2568 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2010-2572 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2010-2568)Record last updated .