How severe is CVE-2008-5542?

CVE-2008-5542 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2008-5542 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-5542?

CVE-2008-5542 primarily affects Sunbeltsoftware Vipre. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-5542?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2008-5542 published?

CVE-2008-5542 was published on 2008-12-12 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2008-5542

CVE-2008-5542 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Sunbeltsoftware Vipre with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 9.3)
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (78th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Sunbeltsoftware Vipre
Published: 2008-12-12
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Sunbelt VIPRE 3.1.1832.2 and possibly 3.1.1633.1, when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used, allows remote attackers to bypass detection of malware in an HTML document by placing an MZ header (aka "EXE info") at the beginning, and modifying the filename to have (1) no extension, (2) a .txt extension, or (3) a .jpg extension, as demonstrated by a document containing a CVE-2006-5745 exploit.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-5542?: Sunbelt VIPRE 3.1.1832.2 and possibly 3.1.1633.1, when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used, allows remote attackers to bypass detection of malware in an HTML document by placing an MZ header (aka "EXE info") at the beginning, and modifying the filename to have (1) no extension, (2) a .txt extension, or (3) a .jpg extension, as demonstrated by a document containing a CVE-2006-5745 exploit.
How severe is CVE-2008-5542?: CVE-2008-5542 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.
Is CVE-2008-5542 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-5542?: CVE-2008-5542 primarily affects Sunbeltsoftware Vipre. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-5542?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2008-5542 published?: CVE-2008-5542 was published on 2008-12-12 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:sunbeltsoftware:vipre:3.1.1633.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:sunbeltsoftware:vipre:3.1.1832.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Other CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-48316 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could…
CVE-2026-48281 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could…
CVE-2026-48277 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could…
CVE-2026-48055 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Streambert is a cross-platform Electron Desktop App to stream and download any video media. In versions 2.4.0 and…
CVE-2026-34910 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A malicious actor with access to the network could exploit an Improper Input Validation vulnerability found in UniFi OS…
CVE-2026-33587 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Lack of user input sanitisation in Open Notebook v1.8.3 allows the application user to execute Python code (and…

Browse all CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) vulnerabilities →