CVE-2015-1701
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 24 March 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
Win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP2, and Server 2008 SP2 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, as exploited in the wild in April 2015, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 55.92% probability · 99th percentile
- Public exploits
- 2 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 18 May 2015
- CISA KEV
- Listed 3 March 2022 · due 24 March 2022 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Affected
- microsoft/windows 2003 server · microsoft/windows 7 · microsoft/windows server 2008 · microsoft/windows vista
- Source
- secure@microsoft.com
EPSS 55.9% since 30 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-1701
Public exploits (2)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/May/34Broken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://twitter.com/symantec/statuses/590208710527549440Press/Media Coverage
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/74245Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1032155Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2015/ms15-051Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37049/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37367/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2015/04/probable_apt28_useo.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/May/34Broken Link, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://twitter.com/symantec/statuses/590208710527549440Press/Media Coverage
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/74245Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1032155Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2015/ms15-051Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37049/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37367/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2015/04/probable_apt28_useo.htmlThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2015-1701US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.