CVE-2022-41040
CVE-2022-41040 — Microsoft Exchange Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Microsoft Exchange Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Published Updated Sources: NVD, Microsoft (CNA), CISA, FIRST EPSS, GitHub, Microsoft MSRC, SOCRadar CTI
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.
Exploitation
Confirmed
CISA KEV, listed Sep 30, 2022
EPSS
100%
top of FIRST's scoreset
CVSS base
8.8
high · 2 sources
CISA SSVC assessment
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses · SSVC 2.0.3. A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Exploitation
Active
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script all four kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Total
partial · total control of the vulnerable component
Remediation
The vendor's own words where we have them.
Apply Microsoft security update KB5019758 (2022-Sep release) — https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=124eeb2b-4066-459e-9416-ee98683f4997.
CISA required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Federal deadline Oct 21, 2022 — passed 1,442 days ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.
- Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
- Treat as emergency remediation because CISA KEV status is present.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23 | 15.00.0 to < 15.00.1497.044 | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 22 | 15.0.0 to < 15.01.2375.037 | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 11 | 15.02.0 to < 15.02.0986.036 | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 12 | 15.02.0 to < 15.02.1118.020 | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 23 | 15.01.0 to < 15.01.2507.016 | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23 | — | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 22 | — | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 11 | — | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 12 | — | Vulnerable |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 23 | — | Vulnerable |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Availability
High
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Scope
Unchanged
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Vector
Network
Privileges Req
Low
User Interaction
None
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | high | 2.8 | 5.9 | Microsoft (CNA) |
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | high | — | — | Microsoft (CNA), Microsoft |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
What this weakness leads to
MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.
CWE-918 · Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
- Read Application Data
- Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands::
Weakness & attack patterns
- CWE-918Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
Inferred from the weakness class — not observed against this CVE.
CISA KEV details
CISA lists a CVE here once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
Listed
Sep 30, 2022
Federal deadline
Oct 21, 2022
passed 1,442 days ago
Ransomware use
Known
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a date to argue against.
Public exploit
Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.
Repositories
54
2 of the 5 sampled are weaponized
Exploit entries
24
Exploit-DB and CTI exploit indexes
Malware
Families a CTI source ties to this CVE. One named, with the total it tracks.
Families tracked
2
Named
OSX_OCEANLOTUS.D
Backdoor.Oldrea, Backdoor.MacOS.OCEANLOTUS.F, osx.oceanlotus
Social mentions
Posts naming this CVE. Attention, not evidence of exploitation — it spikes on disclosure and decays whether or not anything is exploited.
Detection rules
Sigma and YARA rules a source published for this CVE — the only detection content any connected source supplies.

- YARAEXPL_Exchange_ProxyNoShell_Patterns_CVE_2022_41040_Oct22_1
- YARALOG_ProxyNotShell_POC_CVE_2022_41040_Nov22
- SIGMAChopper Webshell Process Pattern
- SIGMASuspicious ASPX File Drop by Exchange
- SIGMASuspicious File Drop by Exchange
4 more detection rules on this CVEShowing 5 of 9 · Sigma and YARA content you can deploy todayUnlock freeDetection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23, Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 22, Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 11, Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 12, Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 23.
- Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 78 public PoC repositories were reported.
Groups associated with this CVE
Groups reported in connection with this vulnerability. A reported association, not a confirmed observation of that group using it — and not scoped to any sector or campaign.
9 more threat groups on this CVEShowing 5 of 14 · Attribution, campaigns and the malware each one runsUnlock free- hash453257c3494addafb39cb6815862403e827947a1e7737eb8168cd10522465deb97
Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) · Dec 19, 2023
- hashc59f3c8d61d940b56436c14bc148c1fe98862921b8f7bad97fbc96b31d71193c97
AlienVault OTX Feeds · Jun 6, 2025
- hash7a42f96599df8090cf89d6e3ce4316d24c6c00e499c8557a2e09d61c00c1198683
Kaspersky Public Requests · Dec 19, 2023
- hashb86f648484364d6dbd0f42b526d4f25814ff00e783
Kaspersky Public Requests · Jan 15, 2024
- hash4412f230da1a3954d5065395b512ff4983
Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) · Jan 15, 2024
5 more indicators on this CVEShowing 5 of 10 · Hashes, addresses and domains from a live threat exchangeUnlock freeTimeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.
- 2026
Added · CVSS 3.1 8.8 (AV:N)
Jun 17, 2026 · NVD
- 2025
Bulletin released on NIST.
Oct 16, 2025 · SOCRadar CTI
Bulletin released on NIST.
Oct 16, 2025 · SOCRadar CTI
Bulletin released on Mitre.
Mar 11, 2025 · SOCRadar CTI
Bulletin released on Mitre.
Jan 27, 2025 · SOCRadar CTI
Bulletin released on NIST.
Jan 3, 2025 · SOCRadar CTI
- 2024
CVE is exploited. "lions2012/Penetration_Testing_POC"
Feb 8, 2024 · SOCRadar CTI
CVE is exploited. "k0mi-tg/CVE-POC"
Feb 2, 2024 · SOCRadar CTI
- 2023
CVE is exploited. "Ostorlab/KEV"
Dec 27, 2023 · SOCRadar CTI
Bulletin released on NIST.
Dec 21, 2023 · SOCRadar CTI
CVE is exploited. "testanull/ProxyNotShell-PoC"
Dec 6, 2023 · SOCRadar CTI
CVE is exploited. "west-wind/Threat-Hunting-With-Splunk"
Dec 6, 2023 · SOCRadar CTI
CVE is exploited. "xuetusummer/Penetration_Testing_POC"
Dec 6, 2023 · SOCRadar CTI
- 2022
Initial · CVE published
Oct 3, 2022 · NVD
Added to CISA KEV catalog
Sep 30, 2022 · CISA
Source activity
Readings a source repeats on a schedule, counted rather than listed.
- 8×TweetsFeb 22, 2024 – Dec 31, 2025 · SOCRadar CTI
- 7×ModifiedDec 20, 2023 – Oct 30, 2025 · SOCRadar CTI
- 2×Github ReposFeb 7, 2024 – Nov 23, 2024 · SOCRadar CTI
References
15 on the record
- msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2022-41040
Patch, Vendor Advisory, NIST, Mitre, INTW
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/170066/Microsoft-Exchange-ProxyNotShell-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry, NIST, GITHUB
- portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2022-41040
Mitigation, Patch, Vendor Advisory, NIST, MITRE, MITRE_REFERENCES, INTW
- www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/915563
Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource, NIST
- www.secpod.com/blog/microsoft-november-2022-patch-tuesday-patches-65-vulnerabilities-including-6-zero-days/
Third Party Advisory, NIST, GITHUB
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-41040
US Government Resource
- www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=124eeb2b-4066-459e-9416-ee98683f4997
Vendor Advisory
- support.microsoft.com/help/5019758
Vendor Advisory
Coverage
11 stories from the feeds we poll
Weekly Intelligence Report – 7 Aug 2026 - cyfirma
cyfirma.com · Aug 6, 2026
Cyber Security Weekly Briefing, 7 — 14 October
business.blogthinkbig.com · Oct 17, 2022
Akamai’s Response to Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server (CVE-2022-41040 and CVE-2022-41082)
akamai.com · Oct 3, 2022
StrikeShark: investigating a new campaign delivering Cobalt Strike through SharkLoader
securelist.com · Jun 24, 2026
Update #5 - 0-day Exploit Remote Code Execution in Microsoft Exchange On-Premise – Workaround verfügbar
cert.at · Sep 30, 2022
6 more reports on this CVEShowing 5 of 11 · Vendor research and security press coverageUnlock freeElsewhere on this site
- Microsoftevery CVE for this vendor
- September 2022what else CISA listed
- SSRFsame class
- CWE-918other pages naming this weakness
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- Only the 5 indicator(s) reported for this CVE are available; no packet-level or host-forensic artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2022-41040 is Microsoft Exchange Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability, a high vulnerability affecting Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23, Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 22, Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 11, Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 12, Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 23 from Microsoft. The current evidence lists it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Yes: CISA KEV signal present. Public exploit evidence is: 78 public PoC repositories reported; 2 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 8.8 describes technical severity, while EPSS 100% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.