CVE-2022-21971Known exploitationPublic exploit

User-assisted code execution via uninitialized pointer free

Published Feb 9, 2022 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Remote code execution in Microsoft Windows Runtime allows attackers to execute code when a user opens a crafted RTF file. WapAuthProvider::CreateInstance leaves an object pointer uninitialized, and WapAuthProvider::~WapAuthProvider passes that value to LocalFree. Successful exploitation requires user interaction and runs code in the context of the application that opens the document.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability53.93%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Remote code execution in Microsoft Windows Runtime allows attackers to execute code when a user opens a crafted RTF file. WapAuthProvider::CreateInstance leaves an object pointer uninitialized, and WapAuthProvider::~WapAuthProvider passes that value to LocalFree. Successful exploitation requires user interaction and runs code in the context of the application that opens the document.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-21971
Published
Feb 9, 2022
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2019
Classifications
CWE-824, T1203, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 9, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record 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=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2565

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2565
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H1version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.1526
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=10.0.0 <10.0.18363.2094
Microsoft · Windows 11 version 21H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.22000.493
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19043.0 <10.0.19044.1526
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1526
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2565
Microsoft · Windows Server version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1526
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.524
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.2565; version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2565

Published CVSS scores

7.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-824Access of Uninitialized Pointer
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

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

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo