Skip to content
Fencer Intel
critical 9.8

CVE-2021-34481 in the critical feed json

Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

published 5y ago modified 2mo ago also EUVD-2021-21136

cvss
9.8
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
47.7%
EPSS 47.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 98%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. UPDATE August 10, 2021: Microsoft has completed the investigation and has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Please see the Security Updates table for the applicable update for your system. We recommend that you install these updates immediately. This security update changes the Point and Print default behavior; please see KB5005652.

Patch / fix

  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 10.0.10240.19022
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.4583
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.2114
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909 10.0.18363.1734
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 2004 10.0.19041.1165
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 20H2 10.0.19042.1165
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H1 10.0.19043.1165
  • Microsoft Windows 7 6.1.7601.25685
  • Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 6.1.7601.25685
  • Microsoft Windows 8.1 6.3.9600.20094
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 6.1.7601.25685
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) 6.1.7601.25685
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 6.0.6003.21192
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) 6.0.6003.21192
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.23435
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.23435
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.20094
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.20094
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.4583
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.4583
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.2114
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.2114
  • Microsoft Windows Server version 2004 10.0.19041.1165
  • Microsoft Windows Server version 20H2 10.0.19042.1165

Is CVE-2021-34481 in your stack? Fencer shows which of your repositories are affected as soon as an advisory lands, and opens the fix as a pull request.

Check with Fencer

Exploit prediction

47.72% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 98% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 8.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C
CNA 3.1 8.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 7.5 AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Affected products

  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 2004
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 20H2
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H1
  • Microsoft Windows 7
  • Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Windows 8.1
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2019
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
  • Microsoft Windows Server version 2004
  • Microsoft Windows Server version 20H2

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management

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.