dbcve.org
Windows 2003 ServerOperating system · Microsoft

CVE-2011-0658

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2011-06-16
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
Integer underflow in the OLE Automation protocol implementation in VBScript.dll in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, R2, and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 Gold and SP1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted WMF file, aka "OLE Automation Underflow 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

Integer underflow vulnerability in VBScript.dll's OLE Automation component allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via specially crafted WMF (Windows Metafile) files. The vulnerability affects multiple Windows versions from XP through 7 and Server 2003-2008 R2, with a critical CVSS score of 9.3 indicating low attack complexity and network exploitability.

MitigationApply Microsoft security update MS11-027 to remediate the integer underflow in VBScript.dll. Until patched, consider disabling VBScript execution or implementing WMF file blocking at email/web gateways to reduce attack surface.

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= r2
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. Confirm Windows version is affected
    Run 'winver' or 'systeminfo' from command prompt to identify the Windows version. Check if it is XP, Vista, 7, Server 2003, Server 2008, or Server 2008 R2.
    Affected if The system runs any version of Windows XP, Vista, 7, Server 2003, Server 2008, or Server 2008 R2
  2. Verify VBScript.dll is present
    Check for the presence of VBScript.dll in the system. Typical path: C:\Windows\System32\VBScript.dll or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\VBScript.dll (on 64-bit systems for 32-bit).
    Affected if VBScript.dll exists on the system (required for the vulnerability)
  3. Check if MS11-027 security update is applied
    Run 'wmic qfe list' or check Windows Update history for security update KB2507938 (the MS11-027 patch that addresses this CVE).
    Affected if The system is missing KB2507938 or MS11-027 update, meaning the integer underflow vulnerability is unpatched
  4. Verify VBScript execution is enabled
    Check browser or application settings where VBScript may execute. In Internet Explorer, go to Internet Options > Security > Custom Level and check 'Active scripting' settings.
    Affected if VBScript or Active scripting is enabled in browsers or applications that process WMF files
  5. Confirm WMF file handling is possible
    Check if applications are configured to handle or display WMF files (Windows Metafile). Review file association settings or email/web gateway configurations for WMF processing.
    Affected if The system or associated applications can process WMF files, which is the attack vector for this vulnerability

The system is affected if it runs an unpatched Windows XP/Vista/7/Server 2003/2008/2008 R2 with VBScript.dll present, missing the MS11-027 (KB2507938) update, and has VBScript execution enabled for processing WMF files.

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 MS11-027 to remediate the integer underflow in VBScript.dll. Until patched, consider disabling VBScript execution or implementing WMF file blocking at email/web gateways to reduce attack surface.

Recommended fix High confidence

Install Microsoft Security Bulletin MS11-024 patch (KB2496898) for your specific Windows version and service pack level

  1. Open Microsoft Update or Windows Update on the affected system
  2. Check for available security updates
  3. Locate and install Microsoft Security Bulletin MS11-024 (or KB2496898) which addresses the OLE Automation Underflow vulnerability (CVE-2011-0658)
  4. Restart the system after installing the update
  5. Verify the update was successfully installed by checking installed updates
Caveat This is a critical security patch; ensure backups exist before installation; some older systems may require additional prerequisites

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

Fix this in Windows 2003 Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
30.0 hours of engineering $5,280
Get help mitigating

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $8,448.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2011-0658 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

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-2011-0658 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

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