CVE-2021-31969Public exploit

SYSTEM code execution via decompression integer underflow

Published Jun 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Integer underflow in Microsoft's Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. In cldflt.sys, HsmpRpiDecompressBuffer advances a destination pointer by 12 bytes but subtracts 12 from an attacker-controlled short length, passing a huge unsigned size to RtlDecompressBuffer and overflowing a kernel buffer. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution and crafted cloud-placeholder reparse data, after which code runs with SYSTEM privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Integer underflow in Microsoft's Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. In cldflt.sys, HsmpRpiDecompressBuffer advances a destination pointer by 12 bytes but subtracts 12 from an attacker-controlled short length, passing a huge unsigned size to RtlDecompressBuffer and overflowing a kernel buffer. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution and crafted cloud-placeholder reparse data, after which code runs with SYSTEM privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-31969
Published
Jun 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2019
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 8, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.1999

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.1999
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H1version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.1052
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=10.0.0 <10.0.18363.1621
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 2004version=10.0.0 <10.0.19041.1052
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1052
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.1999
Microsoft · Windows Server version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1052
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 2004version=10.0.0 <10.0.19041.1052
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.1999

Published CVSS scores

4.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
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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