CVE-2013-3900: Microsoft WinVerifyTrust function Remote Code Execution

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name

Microsoft WinVerifyTrust function Remote Code Execution

Vendor

Microsoft

Product

WinVerifyTrust function

Added to the catalog

2022-01-10

Due date for US federal agencies

2022-07-10

Weaknesses

CWE-20

Catalog version

2026.10.30

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the WinVerifyTrust function handles Windows Authenticode signature verification for PE files.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Ransomware use: CISA does not mark known use of this vulnerability in ransomware campaigns.

Links in CISA's notes

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-3900

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status

Analyzed

Published

2013-12-11T00:55:03.693

Last modified

2026-10-07T17:58:36.270

Weaknesses

CWE-347

Why is Microsoft republishing a CVE from 2013?
We are republishing CVE-2013-3900 in the Security Update Guide to update the Security Updates table and to inform customers that the EnableCertPaddingCheck is available in all currently supported versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. While the format is different from the original CVE published in 2013, except for clarifications about how to configure the EnableCertPaddingCheck registry value, the information herein remains unchanged from the original text published on December 10, 2013,
Microsoft does not plan to enforce the stricter verification behavior as a default functionality on supported releases of Microsoft Windows. This behavior remains available as an opt-in feature via reg key setting, and is available on supported editions of Windows released since December 10, 2013. This includes all currently supported versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. The supporting code for this reg key was incorporated at the time of release for Windows 10 and Windows 11, so no security update is required; however, the reg key must be set. See the Security Updates table for the list of affected software.
Vulnerability Description
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the WinVerifyTrust function handles Windows Authenticode signature verification for portable executable (PE) files. An anonymous attacker could exploit the vulnerability by modifying an existing signed executable file to leverage unverified portions of the file in such a way as to add malicious code to the file without invalidating the signature. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. 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.
Exploitation of this vulnerability requires that a user or application run or install a specially crafted, signed PE file. An attacker could modify an... See more at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2013-3900

References

• https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2013-3900 (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
• http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2013/12/10/ms13-098-update-to-enhance-the-security-of-authenticode.aspx (Broken Link)
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-098 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2013-3900 (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2013-3900 (US Government Resource)

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:41:28.906Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2013-3900

CVE record

Title (CNA)

WinVerifyTrust Signature Validation Vulnerability

Assigner

microsoft

State

PUBLISHED

Published

2013-12-11T00:00:00.000Z

Updated

2026-10-08T16:32:16.540Z

Problem types

CWE-347: Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature

References

• WinVerifyTrust Signature Validation Vulnerability

Read on 2026-11-03T00:24:53.122Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2013/3xxx/CVE-2013-3900.json

Defensive techniques (MITRE D3FEND)

D3FEND maps these defensive techniques to the weakness (CWE) that NVD lists for this CVE, through the digital artifacts the weakness affects. D3FEND does not say they stop this vulnerability.

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