# CVE-2008-4037: Auth bypass in n/a

> Remote SMB servers can execute arbitrary code on client machines by replaying NTLM credentials, requiring user interaction to connect to a malicious server.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Nov 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g42p-2gq8-x2p3

## What is CVE-2008-4037?

CVE-2008-4037 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, published on 12 Nov 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Microsoft Windows 2000 Gold through SP4, XP Gold through SP3, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Vista Gold and SP1, and Server 2008 allows remote SMB servers to execute arbitrary code on a client machine by replaying the NTLM credentials of a client user, as demonstrated by backrush, aka "SMB Credential Reflection Vulnerability."  NOTE: some reliable sources report that this vulnerability exists because of an insufficient fix for CVE-2000-0834.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-4037?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Vista.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-4037?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-4037 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-4037 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-4037 exists.

Public exploit code:

- MS08-068 Microsoft Windows SMB Relay Code Execution (metasploit)
- Microsoft Windows 2000/XP - SMB Authentication Remote Overflow (exploitdb)
- Microsoft Windows - SmbRelay3 NTLM Replay (MS08-068) (exploitdb)
- Microsoft Windows - SMB Relay Code Execution (MS08-068) (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows

- [CVE-2015-4716](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4716/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-3139](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3139/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2010-3143](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3143/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2015-4796](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4796/): Other in n/a (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2021-36958](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36958/): Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-4037 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-4037 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, published on 12 Nov 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-4037 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4037/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4037/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-4037
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-4037
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-4037

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4037/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.