CVE DatabaseCVE-2019-0541

Updated 2026-06-17한국어 권고문 →

CVE-2019-05418.8/HIGHCISA KEVCWE-77CWE-77

Microsoft MSHTML Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2019-0541) Technical Analysis and Hardening Guide

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Affected Vendors

microsoft

Affected Components

mshtml, internet_explorer, office, office_word_viewer, excel_viewer, office_365_proplus

Published Date

2019-01-08

CVSS v3.1

8.8

HIGH

EPSS (30d)

53.2%

FIRST.org

CISA KEV

Exploited

NVD Source ↗

Executive & SecOps Summary

SECOPS ASSESSMENT

Affected Scope

Internet Explorer 9/10/11, Microsoft Office, Word/Excel Viewer, and Office 365 ProPlus utilizing the MSHTML rendering engine

Impact

Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the active user via crafted web content or malicious Office documents

Mitigation

Apply the official Microsoft cumulative security updates immediately and restrict MSHTML control execution via registry hardening

Affected Products & Version Scope

Internet Explorer 9, 10, 11 / Microsoft Office, Word Viewer, Excel Viewer, Office 365 ProPlus, and Windows OS running vulnerable MSHTML components

Remediation & Live Workaround Commands

PATCH & WORKAROUND

1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands

To remediate this vulnerability, apply the latest cumulative security updates provided by Microsoft. Use the following PowerShell commands to force Windows Update to retrieve and install the patches.

powershell

# Install Windows Update module and apply all pending security patches
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force -SkipPublisherCheck
Get-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -Install -AutoReboot

2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration

If immediate patching is not feasible, mitigate the risk by disabling active scripting and ActiveX controls in the Internet Zone via the registry.

powershell

# Disable Active Scripting (1400) and ActiveX (1201) in the Internet Zone
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3' -Name '1400' -Value 3
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3' -Name '1201' -Value 3

3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands

Verify the current version of the MSHTML rendering library (mshtml.dll) to determine if the system remains in a vulnerable state.

powershell

# Check the file version of mshtml.dll
$mshtmlPath = "$env:SystemRoot\System32\mshtml.dll"
if (Test-Path $mshtmlPath) {
    $fileVersion = (Get-Item $mshtmlPath).VersionInfo.FileVersion
    Write-Host 'Current MSHTML.dll Version:' $fileVersion
    Write-Host 'Verify this version against the latest Microsoft Security Update Guide for your OS version.'
} else {
    Write-Host 'mshtml.dll was not found in the default System32 directory.'
}

Interactive SecOps Remediation Checklist

0/4 (0%)

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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics

1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause

This vulnerability (CVE-2019-0541) is a critical remote code execution (RCE) flaw residing in the MSHTML (Trident) engine, the core rendering component of Windows. The root cause stems from improper input validation when the MSHTML engine parses specially crafted HTML content (CWE-77). Because MSHTML is deeply integrated into Windows and utilized by various applications including Microsoft Office, any failure in input sanitization can lead to memory corruption and subsequent code execution.

2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario

An attacker typically exploits this vulnerability by hosting a malicious website or sending an email containing a crafted Office document with embedded HTML/ActiveX elements. When a victim visits the site or opens the document, the MSHTML engine is invoked to render the content. Due to the validation flaw, the engine fails to properly handle the input, allowing the attacker's payload to bypass security boundaries and execute arbitrary shellcode within the security context of the current user. This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild and is listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

3. Infrastructure & Business Impact

Successful exploitation grants the attacker the same user rights as the local user. If the current user is logged on with administrative rights, the attacker can take complete control of the affected system. This can lead to unauthorized program installation, data exfiltration, lateral movement across the corporate network, and deployment of ransomware, posing a severe threat to business continuity.

Official Vendor Advisories & References

NVD Original English Description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the MSHTML engine inproperly validates input, aka "MSHTML Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Word Viewer, Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer 11, Microsoft Excel Viewer, Internet Explorer 10, Office 365 ProPlus.

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106402

Source: secure@microsoft.com · Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-0541

Source: secure@microsoft.com · Patch, Vendor Advisory

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46536/

Source: secure@microsoft.com · Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106402

Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 · Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-0541

Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 · Patch, Vendor Advisory

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46536/

Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 · Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry

Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2019-0541)

FAQ

Q1. How critical is CVE-2019-0541 and is it actively exploited in the wild?

CVE-2019-0541 is rated CVSS 8.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 53.2%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.

Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2019-0541?

Primary impacted vendors include microsoft across mshtml, internet_explorer, office, office_word_viewer, excel_viewer, office_365_proplus. Scope summary: Internet Explorer 9, 10, 11 / Microsoft Office, Word Viewer, Excel Viewer, Office 365 ProPlus, and Windows OS running vulnerable MSHTML components

Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2019-0541 before patching?

[Mitigation] Apply the official Microsoft cumulative security updates immediately and restrict MSHTML control execution via registry hardening Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.

SECOPS WORKBENCH INTEGRATION