CVE-2022-41120Public exploit

Privilege escalation via insecure archive directory handling

Published Nov 9, 2022 · Updated Aug 10, 2026

Privilege escalation in Microsoft Sysmon before 14.11 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges through crafted archive paths. The ClipboardChange RPC handler writes and deletes attacker-controlled strings under the archive directory without verifying that a low-privilege user did not create the directory or redirect it with a junction. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and an archive directory not already secured by enabled archival events; the resulting SYSTEM-context file operations enable elevation.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Microsoft Sysmon before 14.11 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges through crafted archive paths. The ClipboardChange RPC handler writes and deletes attacker-controlled strings under the archive directory without verifying that a low-privilege user did not create the directory or redirect it with a junction. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and an archive directory not already secured by enabled archival events; the resulting SYSTEM-context file operations enable elevation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-41120
Published
Nov 9, 2022
Updated
Aug 10, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Sysmon
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 9, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 10, 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=1.0 <14.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Sysmonversion=1.0 <14.11

Published CVSS scores

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

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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