Security warning bypass via malformed Authenticode signature
Published Dec 13, 2022 · Updated Jan 12, 2026
Security feature bypass in Microsoft Windows SmartScreen allows remote attackers to evade Mark of the Web warnings via a malicious file. SmartScreen's signature_info::retrieve routine returns E_INVALIDARG when a malformed Authenticode SignerInfo serial number has no matching certificate, and shdocvw.dll then fails open and executes the file without a warning. Exploitation requires a user to open the downloaded JScript file; the bypass removes the reputation warning and enabled observed Magniber and Qakbot payload execution.
Summary
What happened
Security feature bypass in Microsoft Windows SmartScreen allows remote attackers to evade Mark of the Web warnings via a malicious file. SmartScreen's signature_info::retrieve routine returns E_INVALIDARG when a malformed Authenticode SignerInfo serial number has no matching certificate, and shdocvw.dll then fails open and executes the file without a warning. Exploitation requires a user to open the downloaded JScript file; the bypass removes the reputation warning and enabled observed Magniber and Qakbot payload execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-44698
- Published
- Dec 13, 2022
- Updated
- Jan 12, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-863, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 1, 2022Exploitation reportedMagniber ransomware delivery through malformed JScript signatures
- Nov 1, 2022Exploitation reportedQakbot campaigns adopting the SmartScreen bypass
- Dec 13, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Dec 13, 2022Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listing
- Jan 12, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.3770
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listingknown exploited catalog
- Qakbot campaigns adopting the SmartScreen bypassreported exploitation
- Magniber ransomware delivery through malformed JScript signaturesransomware
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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