Microsoft Windows 2000 MsgBox memory corruption

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
9.0	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Microsoft Windows 2000. The affected element is the function MsgBox. Executing a manipulation can lead to memory corruption. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2010-0917. Additionally, an exploit exists. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows 2000 (Operating System). It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects the function MsgBox. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory corruption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-119. The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it can read from or write to a memory location that is outside of the intended boundary of the buffer. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Stack-based buffer overflow in VBScript in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2 and SP3, and Server 2003 SP2, when Internet Explorer is used, might allow user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long string in the fourth argument (aka helpfile argument) to the MsgBox function, leading to code execution when the F1 key is pressed, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-0483.

The issue has been introduced in 02/17/2000. The weakness was released 03/03/2010 by Maurycy Prodeus (Website). The advisory is shared for download at xforce.iss.net. This vulnerability was named CVE-2010-0917 since 03/02/2010. The exploitation appears to be difficult. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. Technical details and also a public exploit are known.

It is possible to download the exploit at securityfocus.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 3667 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $100k and more.

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at SecurityFocus (BID 38473†). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Operating System

Vendor

Microsoft

Name

Windows

Version

2000

License

commercial

Website

Vendor: https://www.microsoft.com/
Product: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 9.0

VulDB Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Temp Score: 9.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
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Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory corruption
CWE: CWE-119
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: 🔍

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

02/17/2000 🔍
02/25/2010 +3661 days 🔍
03/02/2010 +5 days 🔍
03/03/2010 +0 days 🔍
03/03/2010 +0 days 🔍
03/18/2015 +1841 days 🔍
05/01/2026 +4062 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com
Product: microsoft.com

Advisory: xforce.iss.net
Researcher: Maurycy Prodeus
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2010-0917 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2010-0917
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-52036
X-Force: 56560
SecurityFocus: 38473 - Microsoft Internet Explorer 'winhlp32.exe' 'MsgBox()' Stack-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

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

Entryinfo

Created: 03/18/2015 15:15
Updated: 05/01/2026 14:26
Changes: 03/18/2015 15:15 (45), 09/18/2018 08:47 (14), 09/02/2021 22:58 (2), 05/01/2026 14:26 (17)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103