CVE-2022-42045Public exploit

Admin-to-kernel escalation via writable executable driver stub

Published Jul 13, 2023 · Updated Nov 5, 2024

Code injection in the amsdk.sys driver in Watchdog Anti-Malware 4.1.422 and Zemana AntiMalware 3.2.28 allows local users to execute kernel code. IOCTL 0x80002044 copies user-controlled bytes into an RWX stub in the driver's .hook section, and IOCTL 0x80002014 or 0x80002018 transfers execution to that stub. Administrator access to the device is required; successful exploitation gains kernel-mode execution and can disable Driver Signature Enforcement.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in the amsdk.sys driver in Watchdog Anti-Malware 4.1.422 and Zemana AntiMalware 3.2.28 allows local users to execute kernel code. IOCTL 0x80002044 copies user-controlled bytes into an RWX stub in the driver's .hook section, and IOCTL 0x80002014 or 0x80002018 transfers execution to that stub. Administrator access to the device is required; successful exploitation gains kernel-mode execution and can disable Driver Signature Enforcement.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-42045
Published
Jul 13, 2023
Updated
Nov 5, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-94, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 13, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 5, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
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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