CVE-2024-21442

Local privilege escalation via improper null termination

Published Mar 12, 2024 · Updated May 3, 2025

Improper null termination in the Microsoft Windows USB Print Driver allows local users with low privileges to elevate privileges. Microsoft identifies CWE-170 but has not published the affected function, buffer, or exact operation that leaves data improperly terminated. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and no user interaction; the resulting privilege level is not publicly specified.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.83%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper null termination in the Microsoft Windows USB Print Driver allows local users with low privileges to elevate privileges. Microsoft identifies CWE-170 but has not published the affected function, buffer, or exact operation that leaves data improperly terminated. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and no user interaction; the resulting privilege level is not publicly specified.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-21442
Published
Mar 12, 2024
Updated
May 3, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 11 version 21H2
Classifications
CWE-170, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 12, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 3, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.0 <10.0.22000.2836

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows 11 version 21H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.22000.2836
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19043.0 <10.0.19044.4170
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)version=10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.763
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 22H3version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.3296
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.4170
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 23H2version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.3296
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 22H2version=10.0.22621.0 <10.0.22621.3296
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.2340

Published CVSS scores

7.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-170Improper Null Termination
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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