New Microsoft Scripting Engine Vulnerability Exposes Systems to Remote Code Attacks

Critical zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft’s Scripting Engine (CVE-2025-30397) has been confirmed to enable remote code execution (RCE) attacks over networks, raising urgent concerns for enterprises and individual users alike.

The flaw, classified as a type confusion weakness (CWE-843), allows attackers to bypass security mechanisms by manipulating how the engine processes data types in memory.

Microsoft has rated the vulnerability as “Important” with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5, noting confirmed exploitation in targeted campaigns prior to patch availability.

The vulnerability stems from improper handling of object types in the Scripting Engine’s memory allocation processes.

When parsing script-based content, the engine fails to validate whether a requested resource matches the expected data structure type.

This allows attackers to craft malicious scripts that confuse the engine into interpreting memory addresses as executable code segments rather than passive data buffers.

Successful exploitation requires minimal user interaction-typically convincing a victim to open a specially designed document or visit a compromised webpage hosting the malicious script.

Once triggered, the type confusion enables arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user.

Security researchers emphasize that low-complexity attacks could weaponize this flaw to deploy ransomware, credential harvesters, or espionage tools across networks.

The Scripting Engine’s widespread integration across Microsoft products amplifies risks.

While Internet Explorer 11 contained the vulnerable component, modern Edge browsers are unaffected due to architectural differences.

However, legacy applications relying on ActiveX controls or older scripting interfaces remain exposed until patched.

Active Exploitation and Enterprise Impact

Microsoft confirmed active exploitation of this vulnerability in limited attacks prior to the May 13, 2025, disclosure.

Threat actors have leveraged phishing campaigns distributing Office documents with embedded malicious scripts.

Unlike many RCE flaws requiring local access, this vulnerability’s network-based attack vector enables remote compromise without physical proximity to targets.

Enterprises using outdated Windows Server instances or unpatched Microsoft 365 installations face particular risks.

Attackers could chain this vulnerability with privilege escalation flaws to move laterally across networks.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added CVE-2025-30397 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, mandating federal agencies to remediate the issue by June 3, 2025.

Third-party assessments indicate that exploitation attempts have targeted financial institutions and government contractors in Europe and North America.

Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center observed payloads deploying Cobalt Strike beacons, suggesting espionage-motivated attacks.

The absence of public proof-of-concept exploit code reduces widespread abuse risks temporarily, but researchers warn this could change rapidly given the flaw’s technical accessibility.

Mitigation Strategies and Patch Deployment

Microsoft released security updates addressing CVE-2025-30397 in its May 2025 Patch Tuesday rollout.

Organizations should prioritize updating all systems running vulnerable software, including Windows 10/11, Server 2019/2022, and Microsoft 365 Apps.

For systems that cannot be immediately patched, administrators can mitigate risks by:

• Disabling the Scripting Engine via Group Policy.
• Implementing application control to block untrusted ActiveX controls.
• Enabling network segmentation to isolate legacy systems.

Endpoint detection tools should monitor for suspicious scripting activity, particularly processes spawning from scrrun.dll or jscript.dll.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint now includes behavioral signatures to identify exploitation patterns linked to this vulnerability.

While no workarounds provide complete protection, restricting Office macros and enforcing email attachment scanning can reduce initial attack vectors.

Cybersecurity experts recommend conducting forensic audits of systems exposed to unpatched environments, as attackers may have established persistence mechanisms prior to mitigation.

This vulnerability underscores the persistent risks of memory corruption flaws in complex software ecosystems.

As Microsoft transitions to modern memory-safe languages like Rust, legacy components remain attractive targets for advanced threat actors.

Proactive patch management and layered defense strategies remain critical in mitigating such threats.

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