dbcve.org
Windows 2003 ServerOperating system · Microsoft

CVE-2010-3956

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2010-12-16
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
The OpenType Font (OTF) driver in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2, and Windows 7 does not properly perform array indexing, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted OpenType font, aka "OpenType Font Index 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

The OpenType Font (OTF) driver in multiple Windows versions fails to properly validate array indices when processing crafted OpenType font files. This improper array indexing allows a local authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated (kernel-level) privileges by loading a specially malformed OTF font.

MitigationApply Microsoft security update MS10-092 to all affected Windows systems. Additionally, restrict font loading permissions and disable unnecessary font loading as a defense-in-depth measure until patches can be deployed.

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
Windows 2003 ServerOperating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 7Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows Server 2003Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows Server 2008Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows VistaOperating system
Affected:all versions
Windows XpOperating system
Affected:all versions

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. Identify Windows version
    Run 'winver' from command prompt or check System Properties. Alternatively, run 'systeminfo' in Command Prompt and look for OS Name and Version.
    Affected if The detected Windows version is Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows 2003 Server (any edition or service pack). All versions of these products are affected.
  2. Confirm OpenType Font driver presence
    Check for the presence of the ATMFD.DLL file in the system32 folder. Run 'dir %SystemRoot%\System32\atmfd.dll' in Command Prompt.
    Affected if The ATMFD.DLL file exists on the system (this driver handles OpenType fonts and is present by default in affected Windows versions).
  3. Check font loading service status
    On Windows XP/2003, verify the 'Windows Font Loader Service' or check registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts. On Vista/7/2008, fonts are loaded by default via the kernel font subsystem.
    Affected if Font loading is enabled (default state on all affected versions), meaning the system can load and process OTF font files.
  4. Verify security update MS10-092 installation
    Run 'wmic qfe list' or check 'View installed updates' in Control Panel > Programs and Features to see if security update KB2401026 (MS10-092) is installed.
    Affected if The security update KB2401026 is NOT installed, meaning the vulnerability remains unpatched.

A system is affected if it runs any version of Windows XP, Vista, 7, Server 2003, or Server 2008 and the MS10-092 security update (KB2401026) has not been applied.

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 Microsoft security update MS10-092 to all affected Windows systems. Additionally, restrict font loading permissions and disable unnecessary font loading as a defense-in-depth measure until patches can be deployed.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Move to supported Windows versions (Windows 10/11 or Windows Server 2016+) as these legacy OS versions are end-of-life and no longer receive security updates

  1. Apply Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-087 (November 2010 cumulative security update for OpenType fonts) from Windows Update or Microsoft Update
  2. For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 systems, ensure MS10-087 patch is installed (KB982132)
  3. For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 systems, ensure MS10-087 patch is installed (KB982132)
  4. For Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 systems, ensure MS10-087 patch is installed (KB982132)
  5. After patching, verify the OpenType Font driver version reflects the security update
Caveat Legacy systems (XP, Server 2003, Vista) are end-of-life; upgrading may require application compatibility testing and hardware considerations; some legacy applications may not function on newer OS versions

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

Fix this in Windows 2003 Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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Scan for this in your stack

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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-2010-3956 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data