CVE-2013-3900 — Microsoft WinVerifyTrust function Remote Code Execution
Why is Microsoft republishing a CVE from 2013? We are republishing CVE-2013-3900 in the Security Update Guide to update the Security Updates table and to inform customers that the EnableCertPaddingCheck is available in all currently supported versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. While the format is different from the original CVE published in 2013, except for clarifications about how to configure the EnableCertPaddingCheck registry value, the information herein remains unchanged from the original text published on December 10, 2013, Microsoft does not plan to enforce the stricter verification behavior as a default functionality on supported releases of Microsoft Windows. This behavior remains available as an opt-in feature via reg key setting, and is available on supported editions of Windows released since December 10, 2013. This includes all currently supported versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. The supporting code for this reg key was incorporated at the time of release for Windows 10 and Windows 11, so no security update is required; however, the reg key must be set. See the Security Updates table for the list of affected software. Vulnerability Description A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the WinVerifyTrust function handles Windows Authenticode signature verification for portable executable (PE) files. An anonymous attacker could exploit the vulnerability by modifying an existing signed executable file to leverage unverified portions of the file in such a way as to add malicious code to the file without invalidating the signature. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. Exploitation of this vulnerability requires that a user or application run or install a specially crafted, signed PE file. An attacker could modify an... See more at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2013-3900
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
- EPSS 44.6% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — msrc.microsoft.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
CISA required action CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
US federal deadline: Jul 10, 2022 — passed 1558 day(s) ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Microsoft Windows 10 1507, Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1809…).
- Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- EPSS ahead of 99% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (cryptography), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Windows 10 1507 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 1607 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 1809 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 1909 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 20h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 21h1 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 21h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 22h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 Version 1507 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 Version 1607 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 Version 1809 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 Version 21H2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 Version 22H2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 21h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 22h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 23h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 24h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 version 21H2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 version 22H2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 version 22H3 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 version 23H2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 Version 24H2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 7 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 8.1 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Rt 8.1 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 | version r2-sp1versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2012 | versions not specified by the sourceversion r2 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2012 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2012 R2 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2016 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2016 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2019 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2019 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2022 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2022 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2022 23h2 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2025 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2025 | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) | version N/A | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 2.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.4 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | secure@microsoft.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | microsoft via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 7.6 | CVSS 2.0 | High | 4.9 | 10.0 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N (score shown at the top: secure@microsoft.com) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CISA KEV details CISA
CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 44.65%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Check TLS negotiations and unexpected certificates in the component’s traffic.
- Hunt retroactively in logs from before Jan 10, 2022 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · microsoft/windows 10 version 1809, microsoft/windows server 2019, microsoft/windows server 2019 (server core installatio
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · microsoft/windows 10 1507, microsoft/windows 10 1607, microsoft/windows 10 1809, microsoft/windows 10 1909, microsoft/wi
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Added to CISA KEV (detected)
- Record created in this database
- 2022
- Added to CISA KEV catalog
- 2013
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
6 on the record
- docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-098
- msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2013-3900
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-8cj2-jg77-qj2p
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-3900
- blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2013/12/10/ms13-098-update-to-enhance-the-security-of-a
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-97844 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97840 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97839 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97841 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97843 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97842 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2013-3900 is "Microsoft WinVerifyTrust function Remote Code Execution", rated Medium. It affects Windows 10 1507 (Microsoft); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 44.65% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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