Actively exploited · Published Apr 21, 2015 · Assigned by microsoft

CVE-2015-1701

High 7.8 Exploited Ransomware

In plain English

A high-severity security flaw in Win32k from Microsoft. Attackers are actively exploiting it in the wild (listed by CISA on March 3, 2022). It has been used in ransomware campaigns. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 55.9% (higher than 99.1% of all known vulnerabilities). Ready-made attack tooling exists: Metasploit, public proof-of-concept code. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)7.8High

Exploit odds (30 days)55.9%top 0.9% of all CVEs

Exploited in the wildYesCISA KEV since Mar 3, 2022

Attack tooling2Metasploit, Public PoC

CISA guidance

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Federal agencies must remediate by Mar 24, 2022.

Official 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."

Affected products (as reported)

Vendor	Product	Versions
n/a	n/a	n/a

References

http://twitter.com/symantec/statuses/590208710527549440 x_refsource_MISC
37049 exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB
74245 vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID
MS15-051 vendor-advisory, x_refsource_MS
37367 exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB
https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2015/04/probable_apt28_useo.html x_refsource_MISC
1032155 vdb-entry, x_refsource_SECTRACK
20200514 KL-001-2020-002 : Cellebrite Restricted Desktop Escape and Escalation of User Privilege mailing-list, x_refsource_FULLDISC
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2015-1701 government-resource