dbcve.org
.net FrameworkApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2012-1895

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2012-11-14
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 reflection implementation in Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0 SP3, 1.1 SP1, 2.0 SP2, 3.5.1, and 4 does not properly enforce object permissions, 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 "Reflection Bypass 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 .NET Framework's reflection implementation fails to properly enforce object permissions, allowing remote attackers to bypass security restrictions and execute arbitrary code via crafted XAML browser applications (XBAP) or malicious .NET Framework applications. This is a privilege escalation vulnerability in the reflection API.

MitigationApply Microsoft security update MS12-074 (or subsequent superseded updates) to all affected .NET Framework versions. Restrict XBAP execution in browsers via Internet Explorer security zone settings or group policy where feasible.

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= 3.5.1= 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
    Check the Windows registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v{version}\Release for .NET Framework 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.5, and 4.0. Alternatively, run 'gci "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP" -Recurse | gp | where {$_.PSChildName -match '^(?!S)\P{2}'} | select PSChildName, Version, Release' in PowerShell.
    Affected if The installed version matches 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.5.1, or 4.0 without the MS12-074 security update applied.
  2. Verify XBAP execution is enabled in Internet Explorer
    Open Internet Explorer, navigate to Internet Options, then Security tab. Select the relevant zone (Internet, Intranet, or Trusted Sites). Click Custom Level and scroll to '.NET Framework XAML browser applications' setting. Verify whether 'Enable' or 'Prompt' is selected.
    Affected if XBAP execution is set to Enabled or Prompt in any Internet Explorer security zone, allowing malicious XBAP payloads to execute.
  3. Confirm .NET ClickOnce applications are permitted
    In Internet Explorer, go to Internet Options, Security tab, select a zone, click Custom Level, and locate the 'ClickOnce applications' setting under the .NET Framework section.
    Affected if ClickOnce applications are set to Enabled or Prompt, providing an attack vector for the vulnerable reflection API.
  4. Check for presence of security update MS12-074
    Open Windows Update or check Add/Remove Programs for installed updates. Look for security update KB2742599 (for .NET 4.0) or corresponding KB numbers for other versions (KB2604121 for .NET 1.0/2.0/3.5, KB2656351 for .NET 4.0).
    Affected if The MS12-074 security update is not installed, meaning the vulnerable reflection permission enforcement remains unpatched.

A system is affected if it runs any unpatched .NET Framework version 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.5.1, or 4.0 and permits XBAP or ClickOnce application 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 Microsoft security update MS12-074 (or subsequent superseded updates) to all affected .NET Framework versions. Restrict XBAP execution in browsers via Internet Explorer security zone settings or group policy where feasible.

Recommended fix High confidence

Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 or later (which is not affected by this vulnerability)

  1. Apply the relevant security update from Microsoft Security Bulletin MS12-074 corresponding to the affected .NET Framework version: For .NET Framework 1.0 SP3 install KB2604122, for 1.1 SP1 install KB2604115, for 2.0 SP2 install KB2604126, for 3.5.1 install KB2604114, and for .NET Framework 4 install KB2604127
  2. Obtain the updates from Windows Update, Microsoft Update Catalog, or your organization's patch management solution
  3. Restart the system after applying the updates to ensure the patches take effect
  4. Verify the updates were successfully installed by checking the installed updates in Control Panel > Programs and Features > View installed updates
Caveat Patches for end-of-life versions (.NET 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.5.1) may have limited support; consider migrating to newer .NET versions for long-term support

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

Fix this in .net Framework Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing10.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
32.0 hours of engineering $5,580
Get help mitigating

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $8,928.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-1895 — 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-2012-1895 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