CVE-2010-1885
The MPC::HexToNum function in helpctr.exe in Microsoft Windows Help and Support Center in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 does not properly handle malformed escape sequences, which allows remote attackers to bypass the trusted documents whitelist (fromHCP option) and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted hcp:// URL, aka "Help Center URL Validation Vulnerability."
Key facts
- CVSS score
- 9.3 (v2.0)
- Severity
- HIGH
- CVSS vector
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C- Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-78
- EPSS score
- 71.1% (99th percentile)
- In CISA KEV
- No
- In EU EUVD
- Yes (EUVD-2010-1904)
- Published
- June 15, 2010
- NVD last modified
- June 16, 2026
- Status
- Modified
EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD)
This vulnerability is also tracked by ENISA as EUVD-2010-1904 in the EU Vulnerability Database. Last updated in EUVD on August 7, 2024.
View on the EU Vulnerability DatabaseAffected products
- microsoft / windows 2003 server
- microsoft / windows 2003 server
- microsoft / windows server 2003
- microsoft / windows xp
- microsoft / windows xp
- microsoft / windows xp
Certified products that may be affected
4 FIPS 140 or Common Criteria certified products, from automated matching by sec-certs.org.
- Windows XP Enhanced Cryptographic Provider (RSAENH) - Microsoft Corporation - FIPS 140 989 - historical
- Windows XP Enhanced DSS and Diffie-Hellman Cryptographic Provider (DSSENH) - Microsoft Corporation - FIPS 140 990 - historical
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2 including R2, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, x64, and Itanium Editions; Windows XP Professional SP2 and x64 SP2; Windows XP Embedded SP2 - Microsoft Corporation - Common Criteria CCEVS-VR-VID-10184-2008 - archived
- Microsoft Windows 2003 and Microsoft Windows XP - Microsoft Corporation - Common Criteria CCEVS-VR-0131-2005 - archived
References
- http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/fulldisclosure/2010-06/0197.html(Exploit)
- http://blogs.technet.com/b/msrc/archive/2010/06/10/windows-help-vulnerability-disclosure.aspx
- http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2010/06/10/help-and-support-center-vulnerability-full-disclosure-posting.aspx(Vendor Advisory)
- http://secunia.com/advisories/40076(Vendor Advisory)
- http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/13808
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/578319(US Government Resource)
- http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/2219475.mspx(Vendor Advisory)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/511774/100/0/threaded
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/511783/100/0/threaded
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/40725(Exploit)
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1024084
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA10-194A.html(US Government Resource)
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/1417(Vendor Advisory)
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2010/ms10-042
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/59267
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A11733
Last updated September 17, 2026 · Source: NVD, CISA KEV, FIRST.org EPSS
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