# CVE-2013-3900: Microsoft WinVerifyTrust function Remote Code Execution

> Attackers can bypass Authenticode signature checks to execute malicious code by modifying signed executables, requiring the EnableCertPaddingCheck registry key to be enabled for mitigation.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 10 Jan 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Dec 2013
- **Updated:** 8 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8cj2-jg77-qj2p

## What is CVE-2013-3900?

CVE-2013-3900 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 11 Dec 2013. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Why is Microsoft republishing a CVE from 2013?
We are republishing CVE-2013-3900 in the Security Update Guide to update the Security Updates table and to inform customers that the EnableCertPaddingCheck is available in all currently supported versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. While the format is different from the original CVE published in 2013, except for clarifications about how to configure the EnableCertPaddingCheck registry value, the information herein remains unchanged from the original text published on December 10, 2013,
Microsoft does not plan to enforce the stricter verification behavior as a default functionality on supported releases of Microsoft Windows. This behavior remains available as an opt-in feature via reg key setting, and is available on supported editions of Windows released since December 10, 2013. This includes all currently supported versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. The supporting code for this reg key was incorporated at the time of release for Windows 10 and Windows 11, so no security update is required; however, the reg key must be set. See the Security Updates table for the list of affected software.
Vulnerability Description
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the WinVerifyTrust function handles Windows Authenticode signature verification for portable executable (PE) files. An anonymous attacker could exploit the vulnerability by modifying an existing signed executable file to leverage unverified portions of the file in such a way as to add malicious code to the file without invalidating the signature. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Exploitation of this vulnerability requires that a user or application run or install a specially crafted, signed PE file. An attacker could modify an... See more at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2013-3900

Weakness: CWE-347 (Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2013-3900?

It affects 22 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 10 1507, Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1809, Microsoft Windows 10 1909, Microsoft Windows 10 20h2, Microsoft Windows 10 21h1, Microsoft Windows 10 21h2, Microsoft Windows 10 22h2, Microsoft Windows 11 21h2, Microsoft Windows 11 22h2, Microsoft Windows 11 23h2, Microsoft Windows 11 24h2, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019, Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and 2 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2013-3900?

No fix has been published for CVE-2013-3900 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 10 Jul 2022.

## Is CVE-2013-3900 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2013-3900 in the wild since at least 10 Jan 2022.

Public exploit code:

- CVE PoC  (github_poc): https://github.com/norvethil/CVE-2013-3900-PowerShell-PoC
- Fix WinVerifyTrust Signature Validation Vulnerability, CVE-2013-3900, QID-378332 (github_poc): https://github.com/CyberCondor/Fix-WinVerifyTrustSignatureValidationVuln
- Powershell script that checks for cert padding in the Windows Registry and adds it if it does not exist. Meant to resolve the WinTrustVerify Vulnerability. (github_poc): https://github.com/OtisSymbos/CVE-2013-3900-WinTrustVerify
- https://github.com/pkblanks/Remediating-CVE-2013-3900-EnableCertPaddingCheck- (github_poc): https://github.com/pkblanks/Remediating-CVE-2013-3900-EnableCertPaddingCheck-
- Remediation for CVE-2013-3900 (github_poc): https://github.com/snoopopsec/vulnerability-CVE-2013-3900
- https://github.com/Securenetology/CVE-2013-3900 (github_poc): https://github.com/Securenetology/CVE-2013-3900

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10 1507

- [CVE-2017-8543](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8543/): Microsoft Windows Search Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-33053](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33053/): Microsoft Windows External Control of File Name or Path (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-33073](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33073/): Microsoft Windows SMB Client Improper Access Control (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-49039](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49039/): Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-43461](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-43461/): Microsoft Windows MSHTML Platform Spoofing (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2013-3900 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2013-3900 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 11 Dec 2013. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2013-3900 in the wild since at least 10 Jan 2022.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507. 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-2013-3900/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3900/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-3900
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-3900
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2013-3900

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3900/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.