Security feature bypass via remote ZIP swap
Published Oct 10, 2023 · Updated Jan 12, 2026
Security feature bypass in Microsoft Windows allows remote attackers to evade Mark of the Web protections through a crafted ZIP archive. Windows Search extracts a file before applying its Zone.Identifier stream, while zipfldr.dll reuses a cached header as a remote ZIP is swapped, creating a TOCTOU window. Exploitation requires user interaction and precise server-side timing; the resulting unmarked file bypasses protections such as Office Protected View.
Summary
What happened
Security feature bypass in Microsoft Windows allows remote attackers to evade Mark of the Web protections through a crafted ZIP archive. Windows Search extracts a file before applying its Zone.Identifier stream, while zipfldr.dll reuses a cached header as a remote ZIP is swapped, creating a TOCTOU window. Exploitation requires user interaction and precise server-side timing; the resulting unmarked file bypasses protections such as Office Protected View.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-36584
- Published
- Oct 10, 2023
- Updated
- Jan 12, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- T1204.002, T1553.005
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 3, 2023Exploitation reportedStorm-0978 NATO-themed campaign
- Jul 3, 2023Exploitation reportedWindows Search and Office exploit chain
- Oct 10, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 16, 2023Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities entry
- 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=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.20232
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
- Storm-0978 NATO-themed campaignthreat actor
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities entryknown exploited catalog
- Windows Search and Office exploit chainexploit chain
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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