CVE-2023-36788

Code execution via unsandboxed WPF XAML parsing

Published Sep 12, 2023 · Updated Oct 30, 2025

Remote code execution in Microsoft .NET Framework WPF allows attackers to execute code when a user opens malicious XAML content. The WPF XAML parser processes attacker-controlled markup without a sandbox, allowing embedded behavior to execute with the hosting application's privileges. Exploitation requires local delivery and user interaction, and code runs with the privileges of the application that opens the content.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.02%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Remote code execution in Microsoft .NET Framework WPF allows attackers to execute code when a user opens malicious XAML content. The WPF XAML parser processes attacker-controlled markup without a sandbox, allowing embedded behavior to execute with the hosting application's privileges. Exploitation requires local delivery and user interaction, and code runs with the privileges of the application that opens the content.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-36788
Published
Sep 12, 2023
Updated
Oct 30, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8.1
Classifications
T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 12, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 30, 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=4.8.1 <4.8.09186.01

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8.1version=4.8.1 <4.8.09186.01
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.6.2version=4.7.0 <10.0.10240.20162
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8version=4.8.0 <4.8.04667.03
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2version=2.0.0 <3.0.30729.8957
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2version=3.0.0 <3.0.30729.8957
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1version=3.5.0 <3.0.30729.8957
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2version=4.7.0 <4.7.04063.05
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Frameworkversion=3.0.0.0 <10.0.14393.6252
Microsoft · Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5version=3.5.0 <3.0.30729.8957

Published CVSS scores

7.8CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

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.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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