High severity · published Dec 15, 2021
CVE-2021-43890
Windows AppX Installer Spoofing Vulnerability
RansomwareIn wildKEV
7.1
CVSS
11.3%
EPSS
Yes
On KEV
Description
We have investigated reports of a spoofing vulnerability in AppX installer that affects Microsoft Windows. Microsoft is aware of attacks that attempt to exploit this vulnerability by using specially crafted packages that include the malware family known as Emotet/Trickbot/Bazaloader.
An attacker could craft a malicious attachment to be used in phishing campaigns. The attacker would then have to convince the user to open the specially crafted attachment. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Please see the Security Updates table for the link to the updated app. Alternatively you can download and install the Installer using the links provided in the FAQ section.
Please see the Mitigations and Workaround sections for important information about steps you can take to protect your system from this vulnerability.
December 27 2023 Update:
In recent months, Microsoft Threat Intelligence has seen an increase in activity from threat actors leveraging social engineering and phishing techniques to target Windows OS users and utilizing the ms-appinstaller URI scheme.
To address this increase in activity, we have updated the App Installer to disable the ms-appinstaller protocol by default and recommend other potential mitigations.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges
Low
User interaction
Required
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)11.3% · higher than 96% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildYes
CISA KEVListed Dec 15, 2021
Federal remediation dueDec 29, 2021
Ransomware campaign useKnown
Affected products
Which versions
WI
Windows · Microsoft
All versions, or not specified · source: KEV
AI
App Installer · Microsoft
1.0.0.0 before publication · source: vendor, NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-43890
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-43890
CISA KEV catalogue
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
x_refsource_MISC
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-43890
www.bleepingcomputer.com
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-disables-msix-protocol-handler-abused-in-malware-attacks/
thehackernews.com
https://thehackernews.com/2023/12/microsoft-disables-msix-app-installer.html
www.microsoft.com
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/12/28/financially-motivated-threat-actors-misusing-app-installer/
github.com
https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/winutil/pull/26
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