{"id":"CVE-2015-1701","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2015-1701"],"related":[],"title":"Microsoft Win32k: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability","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.\"","summary":"A flaw in the Win32k.sys kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Server lets a local user run arbitrary code with elevated privileges. It is on CISA's known-exploited list and is tagged as used in ransomware campaigns.","severity":"high","cvss":7.8,"epss":0.55923,"exploited":true,"exploited_at":"2022-03-03T00:00:00+00:00","products":[{"name":"Microsoft Win32k","fixed":[],"affected":"","ecosystem":"vendor"}],"ecosystems":["vendor"],"tags":["exploited","infrastructure","ransomware","self-hosted","windows","windows-server"],"not_affected_if":["patched-windows-server"],"how_to_check":null,"fix":"Apply the Microsoft update for CVE-2015-1701 per vendor instructions (CISA required action); specific KB and patched build not stated in sources.","status":"open","published_at":"2015-04-21T10:59:00+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-23T21:26:28+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.6,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-23T21:26:28Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"Apply the Microsoft update for CVE-2015-1701 per vendor instructions (CISA required action); specific KB and patched build not stated in sources.","reach":"local","impact":"high","summary":"A flaw in the Win32k.sys kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Server lets a local user run arbitrary code with elevated privileges. It is on CISA's known-exploited list and is tagged as used in ransomware campaigns.","category":"infrastructure","who_cares":["windows","windows-server","self-hosted"],"confidence":0.6,"needs_auth":"yes","worst_case":"local attacker gains kernel-level code execution and full system control","analyst_note":"Find the Microsoft security bulletin and the affected Windows Server builds and KB numbers via the CISA KEV entry or Microsoft's MSRC page for CVE-2015-1701.","how_to_check":"unknown","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["patched-windows-server"],"user_interaction":"no","needs_special_setup":"no","severity_if_unknown":"high"},"cost_usd":0.000473,"input_tokens":2851,"output_tokens":375,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":null,"analyst_note":null,"search":"'-1701':10A,13A '-2015':9A,12A '2003':77C '2008':83C '2015':102C 'aka':103C 'allow':85C 'applic':94C 'april':101C 'arbitrari':44B 'campaign':65B 'cisa':52B 'code':45B 'craft':93C 'cve':8A,11A 'driver':34B,72C 'elev':47B,105C 'escal':6A 'exploit':16B,56B,96C 'flaw':27B 'gain':89C 'host':21B 'infrastructur':17B 'kernel':32B,70C 'kernel-mod':31B,69C 'known':55B 'known-exploit':54B 'let':39B 'list':57B 'local':41B,86C 'microsoft':1A,3A,14A,36B,74C 'mode':33B,71C 'privileg':5A,48B,90C,107C 'ransomwar':18B,64B 'run':43B 'self':20B 'self-host':19B 'server':25B,38B,76C,82C 'sp2':78C,80C,84C 'tag':60B 'use':62B 'user':42B,87C 'via':91C 'vista':79C 'vulner':7A,108C 'wild':99C 'win32k':2A,4A,15A,104C 'win32k.sys':30B,66C 'window':22B,24B,37B,75C 'windows-serv':23B","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":null,"tier":null,"verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2015-04-21T10:59:00+00:00","kev":{"dateAdded":"2022-03-03","dueDate":"2022-03-24","requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Known"},"cvss_vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","cvss_by":"nvd@nist.gov","poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"kev","external_id":"CVE-2015-1701","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2015-1701","severity":null,"published_at":"2022-03-03T00:00:00+00:00","modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-25T14:39:41+00:00","note":null},{"source":"epss","external_id":"CVE-2015-1701","url":"https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2015-1701","severity":null,"published_at":null,"modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00","note":null},{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2015-1701","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-1701","severity":null,"published_at":"2015-04-21T10:59:00+00:00","modified_at":"2026-08-14T05:16:52+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}