CVE-2015-1701
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
- High 7.8
- Exploited: added to CISA KEV 3 Mar 2022
- Used in ransomware campaigns
- A public exploit reference is listed
Description
Win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP2, and Server 2008 SP2 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, as exploited in the wild in April 2015, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
Key facts
- Published
- 21 Apr 2015
- Last changed
- 14 Aug 2026
- Assigned by
- microsoft
- KEV added
- 3 Mar 2022
- KEV fix due
- 24 Mar 2022
- Used in ransomware
- Yes, according to CISA
- EPSS
- 56.2% likely to be exploited in the next 30 days, higher than 99.065% of CVEs (scores for 15 Nov 2026)
- SSVC (CISA)
- Exploitation: active; Automatable: no; Technical impact: total
Severity scores
Each score is shown as its source gave it. They are not averaged or merged.
- 7.8CVSS 3.1, Highfrom CISA (ADP container)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
What to do
- Apply updates per vendor instructions.CISA KEV required action
Historical context and remediation
This reference retains the original CVE publication date. A recent record update does not mean a new attack occurred.
No separately sourced impact summary is available on this page yet. Consult the description, version data and dated exploitation evidence.
Version statuses below come from the CNA. An “unaffected” version is not necessarily a currently supported release or proof of a patch date. EPSS is a dated risk estimate, not a count of historical attacks.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| n/a | n/a |
|
Timeline
- 21 Apr 2015 Published
- 3 Mar 2022 CVE-2015-1701 added to CISA KEV
- 3 Mar 2022 Added to the CISA KEV catalogue