SYSTEM privilege escalation via unlocked MDL mapping
Published Sep 10, 2024 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
Heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Windows Kernel Streaming allows local users to elevate privileges to SYSTEM via crafted stream headers. The ks!KsProbeStreamIrp path checks only the first MDL as locked, then maps a later unlocked MDL whose uninitialized PFN list can be attacker-controlled. A low-privileged local process can turn the resulting physical-memory write into modification of kernel security checks; no user interaction is required.
Summary
What happened
Heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Windows Kernel Streaming allows local users to elevate privileges to SYSTEM via crafted stream headers. The ks!KsProbeStreamIrp path checks only the first MDL as locked, then maps a later unlocked MDL whose uninitialized PFN list can be attacker-controlled. A low-privileged local process can turn the resulting physical-memory write into modification of kernel security checks; no user interaction is required.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-38238
- Published
- Sep 10, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-122, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 10, 2024CVE 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=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.20766
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
- DEVCORE Kernel Streaming privilege-escalation demonstrationfunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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