Local privilege escalation via unchecked bitmap handle
Published Feb 14, 2023 · Updated Aug 19, 2026
Use-after-free in the Windows Graphics Component allows local users with low privileges to execute code with elevated privileges. The win32kfull GetLockedSURFOBJ path trusts an attacker-controlled UMSO bitmap handle without repeating EngLockSurface validation, allowing crafted surfaces to reach a kernel display driver. Exploitation runs inside a user-mode printer-driver callback and uses an installed virtual printer to obtain kernel execution and complete control of the host.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Windows Graphics Component allows local users with low privileges to execute code with elevated privileges. The win32kfull GetLockedSURFOBJ path trusts an attacker-controlled UMSO bitmap handle without repeating EngLockSurface validation, allowing crafted surfaces to reach a kernel display driver. Exploitation runs inside a user-mode printer-driver callback and uses an installed virtual printer to obtain kernel execution and complete control of the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-21822
- Published
- Feb 14, 2023
- Updated
- Aug 19, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 19, 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.19747
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
- CVE-2023-21822 bitmap-handling exploitation write-upproof of concept · demonstrated
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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