CVE-2024-30018

SYSTEM privilege escalation via improper link resolution

Published May 14, 2024 · Updated Aug 27, 2025

Link following in Microsoft Windows Kernel allows local users with low privileges to execute code with SYSTEM privileges. The kernel improperly resolves a link before file access, but Microsoft has not disclosed the affected kernel path, link type, or file operation. Exploitation requires local code execution under a low-privilege account and yields complete control in the SYSTEM security context.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.88%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link following in Microsoft Windows Kernel allows local users with low privileges to execute code with SYSTEM privileges. The kernel improperly resolves a link before file access, but Microsoft has not disclosed the affected kernel path, link type, or file operation. Exploitation requires local code execution under a low-privilege account and yields complete control in the SYSTEM security context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-30018
Published
May 14, 2024
Updated
Aug 27, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2019
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 14, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 27, 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 <10.0.17763.5820

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.5820
Microsoft · Windows 11 version 21H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.22000.2960
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19043.0 <10.0.19044.4412
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)version=10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.887
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 22H3version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.3593
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.4412
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.5820
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 23H2version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.3593
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 22H2version=10.0.22621.0 <10.0.22621.3593
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.2461
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.5820; version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.5820

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
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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