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Fencer Intel
high 7.8

CVE-2015-1701 kev+ ransomware in the critical feed json

Win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP2, and Server 2008 SP2 allows local users to gain privi…

published 2015-04-21 11 y ago modified 2026-08-14 2 mo ago also EUVD-2015-1831

cvss
7.8
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Exploited
added 2022-03-03, used in ransomware
epss
55.9%
EPSS 55.9% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 99%
public exploits
3
Metasploit, Exploit-DB

Summary

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."

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Timeline

  1. Found exploited as a 0-day (Project Zero)
  2. Published
  3. 0-day patched (Project Zero)
  4. First public exploit (Metasploit exploit/windows/local/ms15_051_client_copy_image)
  5. CISA SSVC: exploitation active
  6. Added to CISA KEV
  7. CISA patch deadline

Known exploited

Added
4 y ago
Patch by
2022-03-24 (4 y ago)
Ransomware
Known to be used in ransomware campaigns
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor, product
Microsoft, Win32k
CISA name
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Zero-day

Detected in real attacks while still unknown to the vendor and the public, per Google Project Zero's 0day In-the-Wild tracker.

Found
2015-04-18
Patched
2015-05-12
Details
project zero tracker

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total
Assessed
4 y ago

Exploit prediction

55.92% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

Exploits and checks

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CISA ADP 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 7.2 AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.