Findings

CVE-2014-4077

Microsoft IME Japanese Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published Nov 11, 2014 · corrected/updated Jun 16, 2026 · n/a n/a · evidence confidence very high

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, and Office 2007 SP3, when IMJPDCT.EXE (aka IME for Japanese) is installed, allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via a crafted PDF document, aka "Microsoft IME (Japanese) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in 2014.

Grounded briefings

Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.

Executive

CVE-2014-4077 is a high public vulnerability record for n/a n/a. CISA lists it as known exploited. Published remediation guidance: Apply updates per vendor instructions. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.

System administrator

Identify whether n/a n/a is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: microsoft/office 2007 ime (sp3); microsoft/windows 7; microsoft/windows server 2003; microsoft/windows server 2008. Published remediation guidance: Apply updates per vendor instructions. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.

Security analyst

Signals on file: CVSS 7.8, EPSS 54.6%. CISA lists it as known exploited. Weakness classes: CWE-264. Sources contributing to this record: cisa_kev, cve_org, epss, nvd. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.

Exploitation and remediation

  • Exploitation evidence

    Confirmed in CISA KEV since May 25, 2022. Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

  • Patch and remediation

    Apply updates per vendor instructions. CISA due date Jun 15, 2022.

  • Safe detection guidance

    Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Nov 11, 2014 · Catalog

    Detected

    Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, and Office 2007 SP3, when IMJPDCT.EXE (aka IME for Japanese) is installed, allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via a crafted PDF document, aka "Microsoft IME (Japanese) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in 2014.

  2. May 25, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. Jun 15, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, and Office 2007 SP3, when IMJPDCT.EXE (aka IME for Japanese) is installed, allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via a crafted PDF document, aka "Microsoft IME (Japanese) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in 2014.

Affected

  • cpe microsoft/office 2007 imesp3
  • cpe microsoft/windows 7version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2003version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008r2
  • cpe microsoft/windows vistaversion unspecified
  • vendor Microsoft Input Method Editor (IME) Japaneseversion unspecified
  • vendor n/a n/aversion unspecified

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2014-4077

    Microsoft Input Method Editor (IME) Japanese is a keyboard with Japanese characters that can be enabled on Windows systems as it is included by default (with the default set as disabled). IME Japanese contains an unspecified vulnerability when IMJPDCT.EXE (IME for Japanese) is installed which allows attackers to bypass a sandbox and perform privilege escalation.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2014-4077

    Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, and Office 2007 SP3, when IMJPDCT.EXE (aka IME for Japanese) is installed, allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via a crafted PDF document, aka "Mic

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2014-4077

    30-day exploitation probability 54.6%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2014-4077

    Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, and Office 2007 SP3, when IMJPDCT.EXE (aka IME for Japanese) is installed, allow remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via a crafted PDF document, aka "Mic

    nvd.nist.gov

References