Known exploited vulnerability · CISA KEV

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

Microsoft MSCOMCTL.OCX contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for remote code execution, allowing an attacker to take complete control of an affected system under the context of the current user.

CVE-2012-0158

Exploited in the wild. Fix this first.

CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03: attackers are using it right now. It is known to be used in ransomware campaigns.

CISA KEV: Listed; Added 2021-11-03 · federal fix-by 2022-05-03
EPSS (30 days): over 99.9%; Higher than 99.9% of CVEs · 2026-11-01
CVSS v3.1: 8.8 High; CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What CISA says

Microsoft MSCOMCTL.OCX Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

NVD description · published 2012-04-10

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."

Full record on NVD

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How to check if you are exposed to CVE-2012-0158

Find every Microsoft MSCOMCTL.OCX system you or your clients run, including ones exposed to the internet. Those come first: CISA only lists flaws attackers are already using.
Compare each version with the fixed versions in the vendor advisory. Where no fix exists yet, apply the vendor’s mitigation or take the system off the internet.
Run a credentialed vulnerability scan to catch the systems you missed, then check that the next scan no longer reports CVE-2012-0158.

US federal agencies had to fix this by 2022-05-03. Everyone else should treat that deadline as a guide: if it has passed, this is overdue.

Affected versions

Versions the National Vulnerability Database lists as vulnerable to CVE-2012-0158. Check the vendor advisory for the exact fixed builds before you sign anything off.

Product	Vulnerable versions
Microsoft Office	2003-sp3; 2007-sp2; 2007-sp3; 2010; 2010-sp1
Microsoft Office WEB Components	2003-sp3
Microsoft SQL Server 2000	--sp4
Microsoft SQL Server 2005	--sp4
Microsoft SQL Server 2008	--sp2; --sp3; r2; r2-sp1
Microsoft Biztalk Server	2002-sp1

NVD lists 4 more affected products; see the full record on NVD.

Timeline

2012-04-10 · Published in the National Vulnerability Database
2021-11-03 · Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, 3,494 days after it was published
2022-05-03 · Fix-by date for US federal agencies, passed 1,643 days ago

Weakness type

CWE-94

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Sources: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (version 2026.10.30); EPSS data from FIRST.org; CVSS and descriptions from the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Checked 2026-11-01. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.