CVE-2022-24542

SYSTEM privilege escalation through undisclosed Win32k flaw

Published Apr 15, 2022 · Updated Jan 2, 2025

Elevation of privilege in Microsoft Windows Win32k allows local users with low privileges to gain SYSTEM-level permissions. Microsoft has not published the affected Win32k code path or the unsafe operation that enables the elevation. Exploitation requires prior local code execution under a low-privileged account; successful exploitation grants the highest Windows privilege level.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability9.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Elevation of privilege in Microsoft Windows Win32k allows local users with low privileges to gain SYSTEM-level permissions. Microsoft has not published the affected Win32k code path or the unsafe operation that enables the elevation. Exploitation requires prior local code execution under a low-privileged account; successful exploitation grants the highest Windows privilege level.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-24542
Published
Apr 15, 2022
Updated
Jan 2, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 1507
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 15, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 2, 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=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.19265

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1507version=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.19265
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2803
Microsoft · Windows 7version=6.1.0 <6.1.7601.25924
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H1version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.1645
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=10.0.0 <10.0.18363.2212
Microsoft · Windows 8.1version=6.3.0 <6.3.9600.20337
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.5066
Microsoft · Windows 11 version 21H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.22000.613
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)version=6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.23679
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012version=6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.23679
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19043.0 <10.0.19044.1645
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.5066
Microsoft · Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1version=6.1.7601.0 <6.1.7601.25924
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1645
Microsoft · Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)version=6.1.7601.0 <6.1.7601.25924
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)version=6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.20337
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2803
Microsoft · Windows 7 Service Pack 1version=6.1.0 <6.1.7601.25924
Microsoft · Windows Server version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1645
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1607version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.5066
Microsoft · Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2version=6.0.6003.0 <6.0.6003.21446
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.643
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.2803; version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2803
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 R2version=6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.20337
Microsoft · Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)version=6.0.6003.0 <6.0.6003.21446

Published CVSS scores

7.8Microsoft CorporationCVSS: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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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