CVE-2012-0158: Microsoft MSCOMCTL.OCX Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2012-0158 is a high (CVSS 9.3) Code Injection vulnerability in Microsoft MSCOMCTL.OCX. It is known to be exploited: CISA lists it, first on 03-11-2021. It has been used in ransomware campaigns. EPSS estimates a 99.98% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of scored vulnerabilities. 2 public exploits are recorded.

Timeline

1. 10-04-2012
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 03-11-2021
   Added to CISA KEVMicrosoft MSCOMCTL.OCX Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
3. 03-05-2022
   CISA remediation dueApply updates per vendor instructions.
4. 22-10-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

The (1) ListView, (2) ListView2, (3) TreeView, and (4) TreeView2 ActiveX controls in MSCOMCTL.OCX in the Common Controls in Microsoft Office 2003 SP3, 2007 SP2 and SP3, and 2010 Gold and SP1; Office 2003 Web Components SP3; SQL Server 2000 SP4, 2005 SP4, and 2008 SP2, SP3, and R2; BizTalk Server 2002 SP1; Commerce Server 2002 SP4, 2007 SP2, and 2009 Gold and R2; Visual FoxPro 8.0 SP1 and 9.0 SP2; and Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (a) web site, (b) Office document, or (c) .rtf file that triggers "system state" corruption, as exploited in the wild in April 2012, aka "MSCOMCTL.OCX RCE Vulnerability."

• CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.