---
id: "CVE-2022-41091"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2022-41091"]
title: "Windows Mark of the Web Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 5.4
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Microsoft Windows", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 10 1507", "fixed": ["10.0.10240.19567"], "affected": "< 10.0.10240.19567", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 10 1607", "fixed": ["10.0.14393.5501"], "affected": "< 10.0.14393.5501", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 10 1809", "fixed": ["10.0.17763.3650"], "affected": "< 10.0.17763.3650", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 10 20h2", "fixed": ["10.0.19042.2251"], "affected": "< 10.0.19042.2251", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 10 21h1", "fixed": ["10.0.19043.2251"], "affected": "< 10.0.19043.2251", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 10 21h2", "fixed": ["10.0.19044.2251"], "affected": "< 10.0.19044.2251", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 10 22h2", "fixed": ["10.0.19045.2251"], "affected": "< 10.0.19045.2251", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 11 21h2", "fixed": ["10.0.22000.1219"], "affected": "< 10.0.22000.1219", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows 11 22h2", "fixed": ["10.0.22621.819"], "affected": "< 10.0.22621.819", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows server 2016", "fixed": ["10.0.14393.5501"], "affected": "< 10.0.14393.5501", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows server 2019", "fixed": ["10.0.17763.3650"], "affected": "< 10.0.17763.3650", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft windows server 2022", "fixed": ["10.0.20348.1249"], "affected": "< 10.0.20348.1249", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "infrastructure", "ransomware", "windows"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: "2022-11-08T00:00:00+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2022-41091", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41091", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"}]
---

# Windows Mark of the Web Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

Windows Mark of the Web (MOTW) can be bypassed, so files that should carry the internet-origin warning get treated as trusted. An attacker who gets a crafted file to a user can use this to slip past Windows security prompts and run content they would otherwise be blocked from.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Microsoft Windows affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:microsoft windows 10 1507 affected < 10.0.10240.19567 fixed 10.0.10240.19567
- vendor:microsoft windows 10 1607 affected < 10.0.14393.5501 fixed 10.0.14393.5501
- vendor:microsoft windows 10 1809 affected < 10.0.17763.3650 fixed 10.0.17763.3650
- vendor:microsoft windows 10 20h2 affected < 10.0.19042.2251 fixed 10.0.19042.2251
- vendor:microsoft windows 10 21h1 affected < 10.0.19043.2251 fixed 10.0.19043.2251
- vendor:microsoft windows 10 21h2 affected < 10.0.19044.2251 fixed 10.0.19044.2251
- vendor:microsoft windows 10 22h2 affected < 10.0.19045.2251 fixed 10.0.19045.2251
- vendor:microsoft windows 11 21h2 affected < 10.0.22000.1219 fixed 10.0.22000.1219
- vendor:microsoft windows 11 22h2 affected < 10.0.22621.819 fixed 10.0.22621.819
- vendor:microsoft windows server 2016 affected < 10.0.14393.5501 fixed 10.0.14393.5501
- vendor:microsoft windows server 2019 affected < 10.0.17763.3650 fixed 10.0.17763.3650
- vendor:microsoft windows server 2022 affected < 10.0.20348.1249 fixed 10.0.20348.1249

## Fix

Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2022-41091 per vendor instructions (CISA KEV required action).

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2022-41091
- 2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41091

## From the sources

Microsoft Windows Mark of the Web (MOTW) contains a security feature bypass vulnerability resulting in a limited loss of integrity and availability of security features.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_