CISA Warns of Microsoft SQL Server RCE Vulnerability Exploited in Attacks

CVE-2019-1068 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft SQL Server caused by improper handling of the processing of internal functions (CWE-20, improper input validation). An attacker who can reach SQL Server over the network with low-privileged credentials can trigger the flawed code path and execute arbitrary code, gaining high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on the database host. Any organization running affected Microsoft SQL Server versions — including SQL Server 2016 and SQL Server 2017 — is affected. The flaw carries a high EPSS score (52.8% probability of exploitation within 30 days, 99th percentile) and CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-08-26, with headlines reporting it being exploited in active attacks. No public proof-of-concept is known, but the in-the-wild exploitation documented by CISA makes patching urgent; the fix shipped in Microsoft's July 2019 Patch Tuesday security updates.

Do: Apply Microsoft's July 2019 security updates (cumulative updates) for SQL Server 2016 and SQL Server 2017 as directed in the vendor advisory, and inventory all SQL Server instances — especially those reachable on TCP 1433 from the internet — prioritizing exposed or low-privilege-accessible instances. Given the KEV listing, CISA's BOD 26-04 requires patching per vendor instructions (or discontinuing use if mitigation is unavailable) on a prioritized timeline; restrict network access to SQL Server and confirm no unexpected low-privileged accounts or unusual process activity on database hosts as a triage check.