# CVE-2017-0283: Memory corruption in Uniscribe

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via memory corruption in Windows Uniscribe, affecting multiple Windows and Office versions.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 15 Jun 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p5wr-7q8g-2cfw

## What is CVE-2017-0283?

CVE-2017-0283 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 15 Jun 2017. 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

Uniscribe in Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Office 2007 SP3, Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Microsoft Office Word Viewer, Microsoft Lync 2013 SP1, Skype for Business 2016, Microsoft Silverlight 5 Developer Runtime when installed on Microsoft Windows, and Microsoft Silverlight 5 when installed on Microsoft Windows allows a remote code execution vulnerability due to the way it handles objects in memory, aka "Windows Uniscribe Remote Code Execution Vulnerability". This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2017-8528.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-0283?

It affects 11 products.


Products: Microsoft Lync, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Word Viewer, Microsoft Silverlight, Microsoft Skype for Business, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-0283?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-0283 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-0283 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-0283 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Windows - 'USP10!MergeLigRecords' Uniscribe Font Processing Heap Memory Corruption (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office

- [CVE-2020-1025](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1025/): Microsoft Office Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-1302](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1302/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2012-1849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1849/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2018-8311](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8311/): Code injection in Microsoft Lync (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-11786](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11786/): Auth bypass in Skype for Business (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-0283 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-0283 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 15 Jun 2017. 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-2017-0283 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Office. 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-2017-0283/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0283/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-0283
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-0283
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-0283

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0283/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.