Protected file deletion via directory junction
Published Mar 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 19, 2026
Improper privilege management in Microsoft Windows Print Spooler allows local users to delete protected files through crafted print jobs. The service follows an attacker-controlled directory junction while processing a job sent to a FILE: port, redirecting a privileged file operation to another path. Low-privileged code execution on the host is required; deletion of a critical file can interrupt services or destabilize the system.
Summary
What happened
Improper privilege management in Microsoft Windows Print Spooler allows local users to delete protected files through crafted print jobs. The service follows an attacker-controlled directory junction while processing a job sent to a FILE: port, redirecting a privileged file operation to another path. Low-privileged code execution on the host is required; deletion of a critical file can interrupt services or destabilize the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-1640
- Published
- Mar 10, 2021
- Updated
- Aug 19, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1485
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 10, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 19, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.18874
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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