CVE-2022-40139
CVE-2022-40139 is a security flaw in Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service, business antivirus software. Attackers can run their own code on Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 15 Sep 2022.[1]
Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Trend Micro has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it an improper validation in Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service. In its words: “Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service contain an improper validation of rollback mechanism components that could lead to remote code execution.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Improper validation of some components used by the rollback mechanism in Trend Micro Apex One and Trend Micro Apex One as a Service clients could allow a Apex One server administrator to instruct affected clients to download an unverified rollback package, which could lead to remote code execution. Please note: an attacker must first obtain Apex One server administration console access in order to exploit this vulnerability.”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-353, CWE-641, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 7.2 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Trend Micro’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service.
Most families won’t have Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 15 Sep 2022. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 6 Oct 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 3%. That’s in the top 12% 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
Trend Micro has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 6 Oct 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.2.[2] | |
| 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 3%.[4] |
See also
Other Trend Micro flaws
- CVE-2026-34926, Trend Micro Apex One: (on-premise) directory traversal ·
- CVE-2025-54948, Trend Micro Apex One: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2023-41179, Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security: remote code execution ·
- CVE-2022-26871, Trend Micro Apex Central: arbitrary file upload ·
- CVE-2021-36742, Trend Micro Apex One, Apex One as a Service, and Worry-Free Business Security: multiple products improper input validation ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2013-6282, Linux Kernel: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2013-2597, Code Aurora ACDB Audio Driver: stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2013-2596, Linux Kernel: integer overflow ·
- CVE-2013-2094, Linux Kernel: privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2010-2568, Microsoft Windows: remote code execution ·
Every Trend Micro flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in September 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service Improper Validation Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 15 Sep 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-40139 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 19 Sep 2022.
- ^ Trend Micro. Advisories and fixes: success.trendmicro.com, success.trendmicro.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.034, percentile 89.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2022-40139”. 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.