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.net FrameworkApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2012-0160

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2012-05-09
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 .NET Framework 1.0 SP3, 1.1 SP1, 2.0 SP2, 3.0 SP2, 3.5 SP1, 3.5.1, and 4 does not properly serialize input data, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via (1) a crafted XAML browser application (aka XBAP) or (2) a crafted .NET Framework application, aka ".NET Framework Serialization 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

This is a .NET Framework serialization vulnerability affecting versions 1.0 SP3 through 4. The flaw allows improper serialization of input data, enabling remote code execution when a victim either visits a crafted XAML Browser Application (XBAP) or runs a malicious .NET Framework application. The vulnerability stems from insecure handling of serialized objects in the .NET serialization process.

MitigationApply the relevant Microsoft security updates (MS12-035) to all affected .NET Framework installations. For systems that cannot be immediately patched, restrict XBAP execution in browsers via group policy and exercise caution with untrusted .NET applications.

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
.net FrameworkApplication
Affected:= 1.0= 1.1= 2.0= 3.0= 3.5= 3.5.1= 4.0

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. Identify installed .NET Framework version
    Open Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full (for .NET 4.x) or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v3.5 (for earlier versions). Check the Version value. Alternatively, run "reg query \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full\" /v Version" from an elevated command prompt.
    Affected if The installed version falls within 1.0 SP3 through 4.0, including 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 3.5.1, or 4.0.
  2. Confirm .NET serialization features are in use
    Review application logs or examine the application's configuration to determine if it uses System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter or other .NET serialization mechanisms for processing untrusted data.
    Affected if The application or service deserializes data from untrusted sources using .NET serialization without additional validation.
  3. Check XBAP execution environment
    If Internet Explorer is used, open Internet Options, navigate to the Security tab, and inspect the permissions for the Internet zone. Alternatively, check group policy settings under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > Security Features > Add-on Management for XBAP-related settings.
    Affected if Users can browse to websites that load XAML Browser Applications (XBAP) and the browser zone allows .NET code execution.
  4. Verify .NET runtime accessibility
    Check if .NET Framework runtime binaries (such as mscorlib.dll, System.Runtime.Serialization.dll) exist on the system and are not restricted by software restriction policies.
    Affected if The .NET runtime is installed and accessible to applications, allowing serialized objects to be processed.

A system is affected if it runs any .NET Framework version from 1.0 SP3 through 4.0 and either processes untrusted serialized data or permits XBAP execution in browsers.

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 updates (MS12-035) to all affected .NET Framework installations. For systems that cannot be immediately patched, restrict XBAP execution in browsers via group policy and exercise caution with untrusted .NET applications.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

If running .NET Framework 1.0/1.1/2.0/3.0/3.5/3.5.1/4, apply MS12-035 security update; for long-term migration, consider upgrading to a supported .NET version (e.g., .NET 4.8 or .NET 6/7/8)

  1. Apply Microsoft Security Update MS12-035 to address the .NET Framework serialization vulnerability
  2. For .NET Framework 1.0 SP3 and 1.1 SP1: Install the update provided in MS12-035 (these versions reached end-of-life; ensure extended support or upgrade path is available)
  3. For .NET Framework 2.0 SP2: Install KB2656353 from MS12-035
  4. For .NET Framework 3.0 SP2: Install KB2656352 from MS12-035
  5. For .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and 3.5.1: Install KB2656354 from MS12-035
  6. For .NET Framework 4: Install KB2656351 from MS12-035
  7. Alternatively, apply all applicable security updates via Windows Update to ensure the serialization vulnerability is patched
  8. After patching, test .NET applications to ensure compatibility
Caveat Patches for older .NET Framework versions may have compatibility implications; test thoroughly in non-production environment before deployment

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

Fix this in .net Framework Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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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-2012-0160 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data