Microsoft Expression Design up to 4 Library Loader untrusted search path

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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8.9$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as problematic has been reported in Microsoft Expression Design up to 4. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component Library Loader. The manipulation leads to untrusted search path. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2012-0016. Furthermore, there is an exploit available. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Microsoft Expression Design up to 4. This issue affects an unknown code of the component Library Loader. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a untrusted search path vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-426. The product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product's direct control. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

Untrusted search path vulnerability in Microsoft Expression Design; Expression Design SP1; and Expression Design 2, 3, and 4 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory, as demonstrated by a directory that contains a .xpr or .DESIGN file, aka "Expression Design Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability."

The weakness was shared 03/13/2012 by Laplinker as MS12-022 as confirmed bulletin (Technet). It is possible to read the advisory at technet.microsoft.com. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2012-0016 since 11/09/2011. The attack may be initiated remotely. A simple authentication is needed for exploitation. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1574 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

The exploit is available at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. We expect the 0-day to have been worth approximately $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 58334 (MS12-022: Vulnerability in Expression Design Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2651018)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Windows : Microsoft Bulletins and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 90784 (Microsoft Expression Design Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (MS12-022)).

Applying the patch MS12-022 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at technet.microsoft.com. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability. Furthermore it is possible to detect and prevent this kind of attack with TippingPoint and the filter 12152.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (73536), Exploit-DB (29858), Tenable (58334), SecurityFocus (BID 52375†) and OSVDB (80001†). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 9.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.9

VulDB Base Score: 9.9
VulDB Temp Score: 8.9
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Untrusted search path
CWE: CWE-426
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 58334
Nessus Name: MS12-022: Vulnerability in Expression Design Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2651018)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 903000
OpenVAS Name: Microsoft Expression Design Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (2651018)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Saint ID: exploit_info/ms_expression_design_dll_loading
Saint Name: Microsoft Expression Design wintab32.dll Library Loading

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
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Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Patch: MS12-022
TippingPoint: 🔍

McAfee IPS: 🔍
McAfee IPS Version: 🔍

Fortigate IPS: 🔍

Timelineinfo

11/09/2011 🔍
03/13/2012 +125 days 🔍
03/13/2012 +0 days 🔍
03/13/2012 +0 days 🔍
03/13/2012 +0 days 🔍
03/13/2012 +0 days 🔍
03/13/2012 +0 days 🔍
03/14/2012 +1 days 🔍
03/14/2012 +0 days 🔍
03/15/2012 +1 days 🔍
09/01/2025 +4918 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: MS12-022
Researcher: Laplinker
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2012-0016 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2012-0016
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-4799

OVAL: 🔍
IAVM: 🔍

X-Force: 73536
SecurityFocus: 52375 - Microsoft Expression 'wintab32.dll' DLL Loading Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
Secunia: 48353 - Microsoft Expression Design Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability, Highly Critical
OSVDB: 80001
Vulnerability Center: 34631 - [MS12-022] Microsoft Expression Design Local Privilege Escalation Due to Insecure Library Loading, High

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013

Entryinfo

Created: 03/15/2012 09:35
Updated: 09/01/2025 09:54
Changes: 03/15/2012 09:35 (82), 04/10/2017 11:44 (10), 03/21/2021 16:40 (3), 01/05/2025 14:37 (16), 09/01/2025 09:54 (3)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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