CVE-2021-24090Public exploit

Privilege escalation via malformed PDB parsing

Published Mar 11, 2021 · Updated Aug 19, 2026

Memory corruption in Microsoft Windows Error Reporting on affected Windows 10 and Server releases allows local users to elevate privileges. The DbgHelp.dll PDB parser mishandles crafted debugging-symbol data during error-report processing, corrupting memory in a higher-integrity process. Exploitation requires local code execution and user interaction; the demonstrated result raises a low-integrity process to medium integrity.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability3.49%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in Microsoft Windows Error Reporting on affected Windows 10 and Server releases allows local users to elevate privileges. The DbgHelp.dll PDB parser mishandles crafted debugging-symbol data during error-report processing, corrupting memory in a higher-integrity process. Exploitation requires local code execution and user interaction; the demonstrated result raises a low-integrity process to medium integrity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-24090
Published
Mar 11, 2021
Updated
Aug 19, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 1909
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.0 <10.0.18363.1440

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=10.0.0 <10.0.18363.1440
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 2004version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.867
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.867
Microsoft · Windows Server version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.867
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 2004version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.867
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.0 <10.0.18363.1440

Published CVSS scores

6.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
7.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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