How severe is CVE-2017-8464?

CVE-2017-8464 has a CVSS score of 8.8/10, rated HIGH. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2017-8464?

Affected package information for CVE-2017-8464 is not yet fully mapped. Check the official advisory links for details.

How do I fix CVE-2017-8464?

No fixed release is recorded for CVE-2017-8464 yet. Track the upstream advisory, and apply the exposure-reduction steps below in the meantime.

How do I detect CVE-2017-8464 in my code and dependencies?

Identify every host running the affected component and compare the installed build against the fixed version below — for source-built or distro-packaged software the version string, not a lockfile, is the source of truth (`dpkg -l`, `rpm -q`, or the binary's own `--version`).

How do I mitigate CVE-2017-8464 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Is CVE-2017-8464 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 18 known exploit references for CVE-2017-8464, including 2 documented proof-of-concept exploits on Exploit-DB and 12 in-the-wild exploitations observed on GitHub and other sources. Treat this as actively exploitable and prioritize patching immediately. All exploit code should only be run in an isolated sandbox environment for research or authorized testing — never against production systems without explicit written authorization.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2017-8464?

CVE-2017-8464 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 90.0%, placing it in the 100th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A score above 50% indicates significantly elevated exploitation risk — immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Is CVE-2017-8464 in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog?

Yes. CVE-2017-8464 (Microsoft Windows Shell (.lnk) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability) was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2022-02-10. CISA required all US federal civilian agencies to remediate this vulnerability by 2022-08-10. The required action was: Apply updates per vendor instructions. Being listed in the KEV catalog is the strongest possible confirmation of active exploitation — treat this as a critical priority.

Is there exploit tooling available for CVE-2017-8464?

5 Metasploit modules reference CVE-2017-8464, which lowers the barrier to weaponization. Public exploit tooling significantly increases real-world risk — prioritize patching and ensure detection coverage. Exploit tooling should only ever be used in isolated, authorized testing environments.

When was CVE-2017-8464 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2017-8464 was published on June 15, 2017 and was last updated on October 21, 2025. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

🛡️

CISA KEV · ACTIVELY EXPLOITED

HIGH severity

CVE-2017-8464 — Microsoft

HIGH

CVE-2017-8464 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.8) remote code execution vulnerability. It is in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2022-02-10) — treat it as actively exploited and patch now. No vendor fix is recorded yet; mitigation options are listed below.

Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, 1703,…

Published

Jun 15, 2017

Updated

Oct 21, 2025

Affected

9 products

Patched

See advisory

Exploits

18 known

Exploitation data as of Oct 23, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, CISA KEV, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Exploitation Status

Actively exploited in the wild

Confirmed by CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-02-10. Federal agencies were required to remediate by 2022-08-10.
A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.

Exploitation and automatability from CISA (KEV catalog and SSVC triage) for CVE-2017-8464.

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

90.0%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Very High Risk+0.11%

Lower risk than most CVEs100th percentile — riskier than 100% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

How urgent is this, really

CVE-2017-8464 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). In the shaded patch-first corner (EPSS 50%+, CVSS 7.0+).

Where this sits among everything scored

Of 394,803 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the ≥ 90% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.

Description

Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, 1703, and Windows Server 2016 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted .LNK file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer or any other application that parses the icon of the shortcut. aka "LNK Remote Code Execution Vulnerability."

Affected Products

9 products · 12 configurations

windows 7microsoft

all

windows 8.1microsoft

all

windows 10 1511microsoft

all

windows 10 1607microsoft

all

windows 10 1703microsoft

all

windows rt 8.1microsoft

all

Exploits & PoCs

Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.

EDB-42429localwindows

Microsoft Windows - '.LNK' Shortcut File Code Execution

by nixawk · Aug 6, 2017

Exploit-DB Source

EDB-42382localwindows

Microsoft Windows - '.LNK' Shortcut File Code Execution (Metasploit)

by Yorick Koster · Jul 26, 2017

Exploit-DB Source

Detection & mitigation playbook

Vulnerability

Detect
Identify every host running the affected component and compare the installed build against the fixed version below — for source-built or distro-packaged software the version string, not a lockfile, is the source of truth (`dpkg -l`, `rpm -q`, or the binary's own `--version`).
Remediation status
No fixed release is recorded for CVE-2017-8464 yet. Track the upstream advisory, and apply the exposure-reduction steps below in the meantime.
Mitigate without a patch
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Frequently Asked Questions

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