How severe is CVE-2018-8653?

CVE-2018-8653 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-8653 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2018-8653 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2021-11-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-8653?

CVE-2018-8653 primarily affects Microsoft Internet Explorer. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-8653?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2018-8653 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2018-8653 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2018-20264. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2021-11-03).

When was CVE-2018-8653 published?

CVE-2018-8653 was published on 2018-12-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-8653

CVE-2018-8653 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2021-11-03). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-787.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 7.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 30% (98th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2021-11-03)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2018-20264
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2021-11-03)
Weakness: CWE-787
Affected product: Microsoft Internet Explorer
Published: 2018-12-20
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the scripting engine handles objects in memory in Internet Explorer, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability." This affects Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer 11, Internet Explorer 10. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8643.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-8653?: A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the scripting engine handles objects in memory in Internet Explorer, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability." This affects Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer 11, Internet Explorer 10. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8643.
How severe is CVE-2018-8653?: CVE-2018-8653 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-8653 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2018-8653 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2021-11-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-8653?: CVE-2018-8653 primarily affects Microsoft Internet Explorer. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-8653?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2018-8653 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2018-8653 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2018-20264. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2021-11-03).
When was CVE-2018-8653 published?: CVE-2018-8653 was published on 2018-12-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:internet_explorer:9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:internet_explorer:10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:internet_explorer:11:-:*:*:*:*:*:*

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