CVE-2023-38140Public exploit

Kernel-memory disclosure via uninitialized registry buffer

Published Sep 12, 2023 · Updated Oct 30, 2025

Information disclosure in the Windows kernel across affected Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds allows local users to read kernel memory. The VrpPostEnumerateKey registry callback allocates a paged-pool buffer from a user-controlled length, fills only the returned data, then copies the entire buffer to user mode, exposing uninitialized bytes. A nonadministrator authenticated account can trigger the registry operation locally; the disclosed content is limited to uninitialized kernel memory, with no reported write or service-interruption impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.06%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in the Windows kernel across affected Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds allows local users to read kernel memory. The VrpPostEnumerateKey registry callback allocates a paged-pool buffer from a user-controlled length, fills only the returned data, then copies the entire buffer to user mode, exposing uninitialized bytes. A nonadministrator authenticated account can trigger the registry operation locally; the disclosed content is limited to uninitialized kernel memory, with no reported write or service-interruption impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38140
Published
Sep 12, 2023
Updated
Oct 30, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2019
Classifications
CWE-908
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 12, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 30, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.4851

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.4851
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.6252
Microsoft · Windows 11 version 21H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.22000.2416
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19043.0 <10.0.19044.3448
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.6252
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.3448
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.4851
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1607version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.6252
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.1970
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.4851; version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.4851

Published CVSS scores

4.8Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
5.5Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo