SYSTEM privilege escalation via undisclosed TOCTOU race
Published Aug 8, 2023 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
TOCTOU race condition in Microsoft Windows Projected File System allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. Microsoft identifies a time-of-check time-of-use race but has not disclosed the affected function, resource, or mismatched check and use. An authenticated low-privilege user must win the race locally; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM privileges on affected Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds.
Summary
What happened
TOCTOU race condition in Microsoft Windows Projected File System allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. Microsoft identifies a time-of-check time-of-use race but has not disclosed the affected function, resource, or mismatched check and use. An authenticated low-privilege user must win the race locally; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM privileges on affected Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-35378
- Published
- Aug 8, 2023
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-367, CWE-362, CAPEC-29, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 8, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.4737
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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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