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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2022-41091 Microsoft CVE debrief

CVE-2022-41091 is a Microsoft Windows Mark of the Web (MOTW) security feature bypass vulnerability that CISA added to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-11-08. Because it is listed in KEV and marked as having known ransomware campaign use, organizations should treat it as a high-priority patching item and follow vendor guidance without delay.

Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows
CVSS
MEDIUM 5.4
CISA KEV
Listed
Original CVE published
2022-11-08
Original CVE updated
2022-11-08
Advisory published
2022-11-08
Advisory updated
2022-11-08

Who should care

Windows administrators, endpoint security teams, SOC analysts, vulnerability management teams, and any organization that handles downloaded or user-provided files on Microsoft Windows systems.

Technical summary

The supplied sources identify this as a Windows security feature bypass affecting Mark of the Web (MOTW). CISA records it as actively exploited and notes known ransomware campaign use. The corpus does not provide a CVSS score or deeper exploit mechanics, so defensive handling should rely on the KEV designation and Microsoft guidance referenced by CISA.

Defensive priority

High. This is a known-exploited Windows issue with ransomware relevance and a CISA KEV due date of 2022-12-09, so remediation should be prioritized over routine patch cycles.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Apply Microsoft updates per vendor instructions as soon as possible.
  • Confirm all Windows endpoints and servers in scope for the advisory are patched.
  • Prioritize systems that regularly receive downloaded files, email attachments, or other internet-origin content.
  • Check endpoint protection, email gateway, and web download controls for any compensating coverage gaps.
  • Review recent security telemetry for suspicious file execution activity and signs of ransomware-related behavior.
  • Track remediation status against the CISA KEV due date and escalate any exceptions.

Evidence notes

CISA KEV source metadata names the vulnerability, marks it as exploited, records known ransomware campaign use, and cites Microsoft guidance plus the NVD entry. The supplied timeline shows CVE publication and KEV addition on 2022-11-08, with a due date of 2022-12-09. No CVSS score was supplied in the corpus.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2022-41091 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-41091

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2022-41091 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41091

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

  • CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog

    Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - Official CISA catalog of vulnerabilities known to be exploited in the wild.

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

    cisa_kev

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.