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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2010-2568

Microsoft Windows Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Published Jul 21, 2010 · catalog updated Jun 16, 2026 · Microsoft Windows

Patch now

CVE-2010-2568 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Oct 6, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Windows against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Gaps on this record

  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
Severity
High7.8
Known exploitation
CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
91.32%
Remediation
Remediation guidance
Affected products
cpe microsoft/windows 7 · cpe microsoft/windows server 2003 · cpe microsoft/windows server 2008 · cpe microsoft/windows vista · vendor Microsoft Windows · vendor n/a n/a

Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer, as demonstrated in the wild in July 2010, and originally reported for malware that leverages CVE-2010-2772 in Siemens WinCC SCADA systems.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe microsoft/windows 7version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2003version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008r2
  • cpe microsoft/windows vistaversion unspecified
  • vendor Microsoft Windowsversion unspecified
  • vendor n/a n/aversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2010-2568

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

CVE-2010-2568 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Oct 6, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Windows against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with microsoft/windows server 2008 r2. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-20: Improper Input Validation. EPSS 91.32%. The CISA KEV listing is the exploitation evidence. A public exploit reference is linked in Sources. That is not the same as confirmed exploitation. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

Windows security

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. Jul 21, 2010 · Catalog

    Detected

    Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer, as demonstrated in the wild in July 2010, and originally reported for malware that leverages CVE-

  2. Sep 15, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. Oct 6, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon display in Windows Explorer, as demonstrated in the wild in July 2010, and originally reported for malware that leverages CVE-

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2010-2568

    Microsoft Windows incorrectly parses shortcuts in such a way that malicious code may be executed when the operating system displays the icon of a malicious shortcut file. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could execute code as the logged-on user.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2010-2568

    Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon displa

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2010-2568

    30-day exploitation probability 91.3%

    first.org
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference14403

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference16574

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_windows/browser/ms10_046_shortcut_icon_dllloader

    Public module reference (excellent). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_windows/smb/ms10_046_shortcut_icon_dllloader

    Public module reference (excellent). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit modulepost_windows/gather/forensics/fanny_bmp_check

    Public module reference (normal). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2010-2568

    Windows Shell in Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, Server 2008 SP2 and R2, and Windows 7 allows local users or remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) .LNK or (2) .PIF shortcut file, which is not properly handled during icon displa

    nvd.nist.gov
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2010-2568

    Microsoft Windows incorrectly parses shortcuts in such a way that malicious code may be executed when the operating system displays the icon of a malicious shortcut file. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could execute code as the logged-on user.

    vulncheck.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.