CVE-2022-44698
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 · uneditedWindows SmartScreen Security Feature 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 · moderate confidenceWindows SmartScreen feature can be bypassed, allowing potentially malicious files to evade the reputation-based checking mechanism that normally warns users before executing untrusted code.
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< 10.0.14393.5582< 10.0.17763.3770< 10.0.19042.2364< 10.0.19043.2364< 10.0.19044.2364< 10.0.19045.2364< 10.0.22000.1335< 10.0.14393.5582CVSS 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
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check installed Windows version and build numberOpen Command Prompt and run `winver` to see the full version, or run `systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Version"` to get the build number. Alternatively, check the registry at `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion` for the `CurrentBuild` and `DisplayVersion` values.Affected if The build number is lower than any of these thresholds: 14393.5582 (Win10 1607/Server 2016), 17763.3770 (Win10 1809), 19042.2364 (Win10 20H2), 19043.2364 (Win10 21H1), 19044.2364 (Win10 21H2), 19045.2364 (Win10 22H2), or 22000.1335 (Win11 21H2).
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Verify SmartScreen protection statusCheck the SmartScreen status via PowerShell: `Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System" -Name SmartScreenEnabled -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue`. You can also check Group Policy setting at `Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Defender SmartScreen -> Explorer -> Configure Windows Defender SmartScreen`.Affected if SmartScreen is not configured or is disabled (value is not set to "Enable" or "Prompt"), as the bypass only affects systems where SmartScreen is actually running.
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Confirm whether the bypass is presentReview Windows Event Viewer under `Applications and Services Logs -> Microsoft -> Windows -> SmartScreen -> Operational` for any recent SmartScreen events. Also verify that the system has not been patched by rechecking the build number from step 1.Affected if The system remains on an unpatched build number AND SmartScreen is enabled, meaning the bypass vulnerability is present in the environment.
A user is affected if their Windows version/build is below the thresholds listed and SmartScreen is enabled, as the bypass can allow malicious files to run without SmartScreen warnings.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 · scoped10.0.14393.558210.0.17763.377010.0.19042.2364
Apply the relevant Windows security update (KB5020683 for December 2022 or subsequent cumulative update) to all affected Windows systems.
Windows 10 1607: build 10.0.14393.5582 | Windows 10 1809: build 10.0.17763.3770 | Windows 10 20H2: build 10.0.19042.2364 | Windows 10 21H1: build 10.0.19043.2364 | Windows 10 21H2: build 10.0.19044.2364 | Windows 10 22H2: build 10.0.19045.2364 | Windows 11 21H2: build 10.0.22000.1335 | Windows Serve
- Identify the current Windows version and build number by running 'winver' or 'systeminfo'
- Download and install the appropriate Windows security update for your version from Windows Update or the Microsoft Update Catalog
- For Windows 10 1607/Windows Server 2016: Install update to reach build 10.0.14393.5582
- For Windows 10 1809: Install update to reach build 10.0.17763.3770
- For Windows 10 20H2: Install update to reach build 10.0.19042.2364
- For Windows 10 21H1: Install update to reach build 10.0.19043.2364
- For Windows 10 21H2: Install update to reach build 10.0.19044.2364
- For Windows 10 22H2: Install update to reach build 10.0.19045.2364
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,200.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-44698 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-44698 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- 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
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