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Microsoft Security Advisory 2639658

mediumAdvisoryimportance 35CVE-2011-3402

Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →

CVEVulnerabilityCVSSEPSSFlagsAffectedExposurePublished
CVE-2011-3402
Remote Code Execution in Microsoft Windows Kernel TrueType Font Parser (win32k.sys)

CVE-2011-3402 is a flaw in the TrueType font parsing engine of win32k.sys, part of the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows. A remote attacker can trigger it by presenting crafted font data to a user — for example, embedded in a Word document or on a web page — and gains the ability to execute arbitrary code on the target system. All Microsoft Windows versions covered by the vendor advisory are affected; the provided data does not enumerate specific version ranges. The vulnerability was famously exploited in the wild in 2011 by the Duqu malware campaign (the subject of Microsoft Security Advisory 2639658), and CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-10-06. EPSS assigns a 78.3% probability of exploitation within the next 30 days; no current public proof-of-concept is known.

Do: Verify that every Windows host — prioritizing legacy, embedded, and internet-exposed machines — has the TrueType font-parsing fix released via Microsoft Security Advisory 2639658 (November 2011), and inventory missing patches rather than assuming modern builds are covered. Per CISA KEV/BOD 22-01 guidance, apply vendor mitigations or discontinue use of the product where patching is not possible. Given the 2025-10-06 KEV listing and 78.3% EPSS, treat any host without the win32k.sys font-parsing update as exposed and remediate within required timelines.

78% KEV
  • Microsoft Windows (kernel-mode drivers, win32k.sys TrueType font parser)
massOrder of hundreds of thousands to millions of unpatched legacy Windows systems (Windows install base exceeds 1 billion devices)
Full article188 words · extracted from blog.talosintelligence.com · click to collapse

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 14:51

Microsoft recently added a new initiative to its Microsoft Active Protection Program (MAPP), called the Advisory Initiative program, which gives partners up to 96 hours to provide protection for discovered vulnerabilities. Microsoft piloted the program with an advisory release on the Win32K TrueType font parsing engine, related to the Duqu malware (CVE-2011-3402). Sourcefire released its protections for this threat within the first 48 hours, as noted on the MAPP site http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/advisorymapp:

SID: GID 3, SID 20539
http://labs.snort.org/papers/ms/immediate-response.html

Duqu exploits a vulnerability in Windows in the way it parses TrueType fonts and it can create an open tunnel into a user's computer. Then attackers have the freedom to gain full system access and run arbitrary code and modify data, install applications, and, essentially, use the system as the user would. This flaw, for which Microsoft previously issued a workaround, is exploitable across many Windows platforms. Despite this, Microsoft reports that they are currently seeing low customer impact at this time.

More information, as well as other vendors who responded within 48 hours, can be found on the MAPP program web site.

Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/microsoft-security-advisory-2639658/