CVE-2015-1671

From Exploited flaws, HARD’s guide to the flaws being used in attacks · Checked
This article is about a flaw in Microsoft Windows. For every flaw being used in attacks, see Exploited flaws; for Microsoft’s, see Microsoft flaws being used in attacks.

CVE-2015-1671 is a security flaw in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft’s operating system for PCs and servers. Attackers can run their own code on Microsoft Windows. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 25 May 2022.[1]

Microsoft Windows is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Microsoft has published a fix or advice.

Description

CISA calls it a remote code execution in Microsoft Windows. In its words: “A remote code execution vulnerability exists when components of Windows, .NET Framework, Office, Lync, and Silverlight fail to properly handle TrueType fonts.”[1]

The CVE record adds: “The Windows DirectWrite library, as used in Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 SP2, 3.5, 3.5.1, 4, 4.5, 4.5.1, and 4.5.2; Office 2007 SP3 and 2010 SP2; Live Meeting 2007 Console; Lync 2010; Lync 2010 Attendee; Lync 2013 SP1; Lync Basic 2013 SP1; Silverlight 5 before 5.1.40416.00; and Silverlight 5 Developer Runtime before 5.1.40416.00, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted TrueType font, aka "TrueType Font Parsing Vulnerability."”[2]

The underlying weakness is CWE-19, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.

It scores 7.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by the organisation that published the CVE using CVSS 3.1.[2]

Affected versions

NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Microsoft’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Microsoft Windows.

Every device with Microsoft Windows needs the update.

Exploitation

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 25 May 2022, 2,569 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 15 Jun 2022 to fix it.[1]

FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 49%. That’s in the top 2% of the flaws it scores.[4]

CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.

CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.

Fix

Microsoft has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]

  1. Update Microsoft Windows now.On Windows: Settings, Windows Update, Check for updates, then restart. Office updates come the same way, or from any Office app: File, Account, Update Options. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
  2. If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.

Timeline

DateEvent
The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.8.[2]
CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1]
CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1]
FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 49%.[4]

See also

Other Microsoft Windows flaws

Similar flaws

Added the same day

  • CVE-2019-3010, Oracle Solaris: privilege escalation ·
  • CVE-2016-7256, Microsoft Windows: open type font remote code execution ·
  • CVE-2016-3393, Microsoft Windows: graphics device interface (GDI) remote code execution ·
  • CVE-2016-1010, Adobe Flash Player and AIR: integer overflow ·
  • CVE-2016-0984, Adobe Flash Player and AIR: use-after-free ·

Every Microsoft flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in May 2022

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Microsoft Windows Remote Code Execution Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 25 May 2022.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2015-1671 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 13 May 2015.
  3. ^ Microsoft. Advisories and fixes: docs.microsoft.com.
  4. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.488, percentile 98.9, 31 Oct 2026.
  5. CVE Program. “CVE-2015-1671”. The official CVE record.

This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.