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Xml Core ServicesApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2010-2561

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2010-08-11
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Microsoft XML Core Services (aka MSXML) 3.0 does not properly handle HTTP responses, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted response, aka "Msxml2.XMLHTTP.3.0 Response Handling Memory Corruption Vulnerability."

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) 3.0 contains a memory corruption vulnerability when handling HTTP responses. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service by sending a specially crafted HTTP response to an application using MSXML's XMLHTTP component.

MitigationApply the relevant Microsoft security update for MSXML. If patches are unavailable, consider restricting network access to trusted servers and disabling MSXML functionality in untrusted contexts where possible.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Xml Core ServicesApplication
Affected:= 3.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check if MSXML 3.0 is installed
    Open Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msxml3.DOMDocument or check C:\Windows\System32\msxml3.dll existence. Alternatively, run 'reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Msxml3.DOMDocument"' via command prompt.
    Affected if The version key returns 3.0 or the file msxml3.dll exists on the system
  2. Verify the exact MSXML version number
    Right-click msxml3.dll in C:\Windows\System32\, select Properties, then view the Details tab for File Version. Or use PowerShell: (New-Object System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo('C:\Windows\System32\msxml3.dll')).FileVersion
    Affected if The version is exactly 3.0 (note: later patched versions like 3.0.XXXXX may also be affected if unpatched)
  3. Check for presence of XMLHTTP component
    Run 'reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Msxml2.XMLHTTP"' or 'reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Microsoft.XMLHTTP"' to see if XMLHTTPProgIDs are registered.
    Affected if The XMLHTTP component is registered and available for use in applications
  4. Identify applications using MSXML XMLHTTP
    Review application source code or monitor process execution for DLL dependencies using tools like Process Explorer or dumpbin /dependents on suspicious executables. Search for calls to MSXML2.XMLHTTP or Microsoft.XMLHTTP objects.
    Affected if Any application uses the MSXML XMLHTTP component to make HTTP requests to untrusted servers
  5. Confirm if security update MS10-051 is missing
    Run 'reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\MSXML 3.0" /v PackageName' to check for installed MS10-051 update, or view installed updates via Control Panel > Programs and Features > View installed updates.
    Affected if The MS10-051 security update is not installed on the system

The system is affected if MSXML version 3.0 is installed without the MS10-051 security update and any application uses the XMLHTTP component to process HTTP responses from potentially untrusted sources.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the relevant Microsoft security update for MSXML. If patches are unavailable, consider restricting network access to trusted servers and disabling MSXML functionality in untrusted contexts where possible.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Apply Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-051 (or later cumulative Windows security updates that include this fix)

  1. Apply Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-051, which addresses the MSXML 3.0 memory corruption vulnerability (CVE-2010-2561)
  2. Obtain the update via Windows Update, Microsoft Update, or the Microsoft Download Center
  3. Ensure the update is installed on affected Windows systems running MSXML 3.0
  4. After patching, verify the version of msxml3.dll reflects the patched build
Caveat This is a security patch with no expected breaking changes; it should be applied immediately to address remote code execution risk

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Xml Core Services Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,930
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2010-2561 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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