Local privilege escalation via kernel refcount overflow
Published Aug 9, 2022 · Updated Jul 24, 2025
Windows Kernel elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Windows versions listed by the advisory allows local users to gain kernel-level privileges via a refcount overflow. The kernel mishandles reference counting for registry security-descriptor objects, causing a use-after-free condition that can be exploited for privilege escalation. Exploitation requires local user access; triggering the condition can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Summary
What happened
Windows Kernel elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Windows versions listed by the advisory allows local users to gain kernel-level privileges via a refcount overflow. The kernel mishandles reference counting for registry security-descriptor objects, causing a use-after-free condition that can be exploited for privilege escalation. Exploitation requires local user access; triggering the condition can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-34707
- Published
- Aug 9, 2022
- Updated
- Jul 24, 2025
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 9, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 15, 2022Exploitation reportedCISA SSVC exploitation assessment
- Jul 24, 2025Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.19387
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
- Windows Kernel Refcount Overflow Use-After-Freefunctional · unverified
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- CISA SSVC exploitation assessmentreported exploitation
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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