CVE-2008-5540
Secure Computing Secure Web Gateway (aka Webwasher), when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used,...
Secure Computing Secure Web Gateway (aka Webwasher), 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.
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
Secure Computing Secure Web Gateway (aka Webwasher), 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.
- Record
CVE-2008-5540- CVSS 2.0
- 9.3 High
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Secure Computing Secure Web Gateway (aka Webwasher), 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.
- Record
CVE-2008-5540- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2008-5515 No score
Secure Computing Secure Web Gateway (aka Webwasher), 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.
- Record
EUVD-2008-5515- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-r635-23w3-8797 No score
Secure Computing Secure Web Gateway (aka Webwasher), when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used,...
Secure Computing Secure Web Gateway (aka Webwasher), 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.
- Record
GHSA-r635-23w3-8797- Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2008-5540 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 9.3) in Secure Computing Web Gateway, published December 12, 2008. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.94%, the 80th percentile. No source names a fixed version.