Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Windows flaw can bypass Mark of the Web protections that help warn users about files obtained from untrusted locations. Exploitation requires user interaction, but CISA lists the vulnerability as known exploited. Successful abuse can affect data integrity and system availability, making prompt remediation important despite the medium CVSS score.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority patching item because exploitation is documented by CISA. Accelerate deployment across affected endpoints and servers, while recognizing that successful exploitation requires user action and the stated technical severity is medium rather than critical.
Technical view
CVE-2022-41049 is a Mark of the Web security-feature bypass affecting the listed Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server releases. Its CVSS 3.1 score is 5.4: network-accessible, low complexity, no privileges required, and user interaction required. Reported impact is low integrity and availability loss, without stated confidentiality impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure exists where listed Windows versions remain without Microsoft's relevant security update, particularly on endpoints whose users receive or open externally sourced files. The bundle does not identify specific vulnerable applications, file types, attack mechanics, or reliable configuration-based workarounds.
Exploitation context
CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listing supports active exploitation in the wild. The supplied evidence does not describe campaign scope, threat actors, exploitation frequency, or technical delivery methods. User interaction is required according to the CVSS vector.
Researcher notes
The source bundle establishes a security-feature bypass, affected Windows releases, a vendor patch reference, and known exploitation. It does not establish the underlying weakness classification, exploit mechanics, attack artifacts, affected file formats, campaign attribution, or detection indicators. Researchers should avoid inferring these details from the title alone.
Mitigation direction
- Identify systems running the listed Windows client and server releases.
- Review Microsoft’s CVE advisory for applicable security updates and deployment requirements.
- Apply the relevant Microsoft security updates using established change-control procedures.
- Prioritize user-facing endpoints and other systems handling externally sourced files.
- Use vendor guidance for any systems that cannot be updated promptly.
Validation and detection
- Confirm affected Windows editions, versions, and builds through the asset inventory.
- Verify the applicable Microsoft security update is installed on each in-scope system.
- Test representative patched systems for expected Mark of the Web warning behavior.
- Review update-management reports for failed, deferred, or excluded installations.
- Recheck Microsoft and CISA guidance for revised affected-product or remediation information.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2022-41049 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L/E:F/RL:O/RC:C
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L/E:F/RL:O/RC:C2.82.5microsoftVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L/E:F/RL:O/RC:C
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- Added to KEVCISA-ADP
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities metadata lists this CVE as known exploited.
- ADP timelineCISA-ADP
CVE-2022-41049 added to CISA KEV
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
- 2022-11-14T00:00:00.000Z: CVE-2022-41049 added to CISA KEV
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- Windows Mark of the Web Security Feature Bypass VulnerabilityCVE reference, microsoft · vendor-advisory, patch
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-41049CVE reference, CISA-ADP · government-resource
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.