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.net FrameworkApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2013-0073

HIGH · 10.0 CVSS v2.0 Published 2013-02-13
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 Windows Forms (aka WinForms) component in Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2, 3.5, 3.5.1, 4, and 4.5 does not properly restrict the privileges of a callback function during object creation, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via (1) a crafted XAML browser application (XBAP) or (2) a crafted .NET Framework application, aka "WinForms Callback Elevation 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 WinForms component in Microsoft .NET Framework versions 2.0 SP2 through 4.5 fails to properly restrict privileges of a callback function during object creation. This allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted XBAP applications or malicious .NET Framework applications by exploiting the elevated privilege context of the callback.

MitigationApply Microsoft security update MS13-022 (or subsequent cumulative updates) to patch the affected .NET Framework versions. For web-facing scenarios, consider disabling XBAP support in Internet Explorer or restricting trusted intranet zones.

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:= 3.5= 3.5.1= 4.0= 4.5= 2.0

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
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:L/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\v2\SP2 (for .NET 2.0 SP2+). Check the Version value in each key. Alternatively, run 'Get-ItemProperty' in PowerShell against these registry paths.
    Affected if The installed version falls within the range of .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 through 4.5, inclusive.
  2. Confirm .NET version is vulnerable
    Review the exact version number retrieved from the registry. .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 and later versions up to and including 4.5 are affected by this vulnerability.
    Affected if The version starts with 2.0.50727. (with SP2 installed) or is any 3.5, 3.5.1, 4.0, or 4.5 version.
  3. Determine if XBAP support is enabled in Internet Explorer
    In Internet Explorer, go to Internet Options > Security > Custom Level. Look for the setting related to 'XAML browser applications' or 'XBAP' under the .NET Framework options. Alternatively, check if the registry key FEATURE_XBAP_AUTHORIZATION exists and is set to allow XBAP execution.
    Affected if XBAP support is enabled (not set to Disabled or Prompt) AND the .NET Framework version is vulnerable.
  4. Assess .NET code access security environment
    Check if the system allows execution of untrusted .NET code. Review the Machine-level Enterprise Security policy or any applied Code Access Security (CAS) policies in the registry under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion or via the caspol.exe tool.
    Affected if CAS policies permit execution of partially trusted or untrusted code from external sources AND the .NET Framework version is vulnerable.

A system is affected if it runs a vulnerable .NET Framework version (2.0 SP2 through 4.5) AND either XBAP support is enabled in Internet Explorer or the environment permits execution of untrusted .NET code.

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 MS13-022 (or subsequent cumulative updates) to patch the affected .NET Framework versions. For web-facing scenarios, consider disabling XBAP support in Internet Explorer or restricting trusted intranet zones.

Recommended fix High confidence

Apply MS13-022 security update (or move to a later .NET Framework version with all security updates applied)

  1. Apply Microsoft Security Update MS13-022 which addresses this WinForms Callback Elevation Vulnerability
  2. For .NET Framework 4.0 and 4.5: Install the security update specific to your .NET Framework version
  3. For .NET Framework 2.0 SP2, 3.5, and 3.5.1: Install the corresponding MS13-022 update for those versions
  4. Restart the system after applying the update
  5. Verify the update was installed successfully via Windows Update or by checking installed updates
Caveat Security updates typically have minimal breaking changes; however, test in a non-production environment first to ensure application compatibility

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
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,380
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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-2013-0073 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