---
id: "CVE-2002-0367"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2002-0367"]
title: "Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation Vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.8
epss: 0.04919
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "runtime"
products: [{"name": "Microsoft Windows", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "multi-user-hosts", "runtime", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["fully-patched-windows"]
published_at: "2002-06-25T04:00:00+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2002-0367", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2002-0367", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2002-0367", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"}]
---

# Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

The smss.exe debugging subsystem in Microsoft Windows does not properly authenticate programs that connect to it. A local user can use this to gain administrator or SYSTEM privileges.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Microsoft Windows affected ? fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the Microsoft Windows updates per vendor instructions, as CISA requires; the sources do not name the specific patch.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2002-0367
- 2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2002-0367
- 2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2002-0367

## From the sources

smss.exe debugging subsystem in Windows NT and Windows 2000 does not properly authenticate programs that connect to other programs, which allows local users to gain administrator or SYSTEM privileges by duplicating a handle to a privileged process, as demonstrated by DebPloit.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_