# CVE-2018-8474: Security feature bypass in Microsoft Lync

> Attackers can bypass security features in Microsoft Lync for Mac 2011 by sending specially crafted messages that are not properly sanitized.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f9xx-wcf7-jwv3

## What is CVE-2018-8474?

CVE-2018-8474 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Lync, published on 13 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A security feature bypass vulnerability exists when Lync for Mac 2011 fails to properly sanitize specially crafted messages, aka "Lync for Mac 2011 Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Lync.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-8474?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Lync for Mac.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-8474?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-8474 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-8474 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-8474 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Lync for Mac 2011 - Injection Forced Browsing/Download (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Lync

- [CVE-2017-0129](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0129/): Security feature bypass in Lync for Mac (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-8474 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-8474 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Lync, published on 13 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-8474 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Lync. 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-2018-8474/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8474/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8474
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8474
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-8474

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8474/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.