CVE-2022-21882

Microsoft Win32k: Privilege Escalation

As of , CVE-2022-21882 in Microsoft Win32k is on CISA's list of exploited vulnerabilities: CISA listed it on . Our patch-first group: Patch this week.

Exploited
Yes: CISA listed it on 4 February 2022
US federal deadline
18 February 202214 days after CISA listed it. US federal civilian agencies must fix it by then.
Used in ransomware campaigns
KnownCISA changed it from Unknown to Known on 14 August 2026.
EPSS score
0.59Higher than 99% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
EPSS when listed
No score that dayThe EPSS file of the day CISA listed it has no score for it.
Public exploit
1 Metasploit module
Fix
No vendor link in CISA's entry

What CISA says to do

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA's required action

What the flaw is

Microsoft Win32k contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation.

CISA's description

Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

The CVE record's description, from microsoft

CVE published
11 January 2022
Assigned by
microsoft
CVSS
7.0 High (CVSS 3.1, from the CNA)
CWE-787
Out-of-bounds Write
CISA SSVC, exploitation
active
CISA SSVC, automatable
no
CISA SSVC, technical impact
total

Timeline

  1. The CVE record was published.
  2. CISA added it to its list of exploited vulnerabilities.
  3. The US federal deadline to fix it.
  4. CISA changed its entry. Ransomware use: Unknown to Known.

Public exploits

Facts from Metasploit's module list and Exploit-DB's index; we never copy exploit code.

Win32k: other exploited entries

VulnerabilityProductOur groupListedDeadlineEPSS
CVE-2014-4113Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.87; verified Exploit-DB entry0.87
CVE-2018-8120Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.73; verified Exploit-DB entry0.73
CVE-2015-1701Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.56; verified Exploit-DB entry0.56
CVE-2018-8453Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.70; verified Exploit-DB entry0.70
CVE-2013-3660Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekMetasploit module; verified Exploit-DB entry0.39
CVE-2019-1458Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.740.74
CVE-2021-1732Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.780.78
CVE-2019-0808Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.530.53
CVE-2020-1054Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.540.54
CVE-2016-7255Privilege EscalationMicrosoft Win32kPatch this weekRansomware use; EPSS 0.810.81

All 25 entries for Win32k

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