SYSTEM privilege escalation via kernel race condition
Published Nov 14, 2023 · Updated Oct 17, 2025
A race condition in the Microsoft Windows kernel allows local users with low privileges to gain SYSTEM privileges on affected Windows releases. Microsoft identifies improper synchronization of a shared kernel resource but has not disclosed the affected function, resource, or unsafe operation. Exploitation requires prior local low-privileged access and winning the race; success yields SYSTEM-level control.
Summary
What happened
A race condition in the Microsoft Windows kernel allows local users with low privileges to gain SYSTEM privileges on affected Windows releases. Microsoft identifies improper synchronization of a shared kernel resource but has not disclosed the affected function, resource, or unsafe operation. Exploitation requires prior local low-privileged access and winning the race; success yields SYSTEM-level control.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-36405
- Published
- Nov 14, 2023
- Updated
- Oct 17, 2025
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 17, 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=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.5122
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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