SYSTEM elevation via Win32k menu use-after-free
Published May 9, 2023 · Updated Oct 21, 2025
A Win32k use-after-free in affected Microsoft Windows releases allows local users to elevate privileges to SYSTEM through crafted GUI operations. Public exploit code destroys a window menu, reclaims the freed allocation with a crafted menu object, and abuses menu reads and class-pointer writes to replace the process token. Execution under a local low-privileged account is required; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM control, and CISA records active exploitation.
Summary
What happened
A Win32k use-after-free in affected Microsoft Windows releases allows local users to elevate privileges to SYSTEM through crafted GUI operations. Public exploit code destroys a window menu, reclaims the freed allocation with a crafted menu object, and abuses menu reads and class-pointer writes to replace the process token. Execution under a local low-privileged account is required; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM control, and CISA records active exploitation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-29336
- Published
- May 9, 2023
- Updated
- Oct 21, 2025
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 9, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 21, 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 <10.0.10240.19926
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
- Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Win32k Elevation of Privilegefunctional · unverified
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entryknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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