CVE-2021-1647Known exploitationPublic exploit

Code execution via ASProtect section-table heap overflow

Published Jan 12, 2021 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Heap buffer overflow in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine 1.1.17600.5 and earlier allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file. When mpengine.dll unpacks an ASProtect executable, RetrieveVersionInfoAndCreateObjects accepts equal consecutive section addresses, allocates a zero-byte section, and copies attacker-controlled decompressed data into it. Exploitation requires the crafted file to reach the local scanning engine and grants code execution in the engine's security context; default operation outside a sandbox increases impact.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability39.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap buffer overflow in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine 1.1.17600.5 and earlier allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file. When mpengine.dll unpacks an ASProtect executable, RetrieveVersionInfoAndCreateObjects accepts equal consecutive section addresses, allocates a zero-byte section, and copies attacker-controlled decompressed data into it. Exploitation requires the crafted file to reach the local scanning engine and grants code execution in the engine's security context; default operation outside a sandbox increases impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-1647
Published
Jan 12, 2021
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection
Classifications
T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 12, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=N/A

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protectionversion=N/A
Microsoft · Microsoft System Center 2012 Endpoint Protectionversion=N/A
Microsoft · Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Endpoint Protectionversion=N/A
Microsoft · Microsoft Security Essentialsversion=N/A
Microsoft · Microsoft Defender Antivirus Antimalware Platformversion=N/A

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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