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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2015-1701

Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published Apr 18, 2015 · catalog updated Aug 14, 2026 · Microsoft Win32k

Patch now

CVE-2015-1701 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Mar 24, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Win32k against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Gaps on this record

  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
Severity
High7.8
Known exploitation
CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
55.92%
Remediation
Remediation guidance
Affected products
cpe microsoft/windows 2003 server · cpe microsoft/windows 7 · cpe microsoft/windows server 2008 · cpe microsoft/windows vista · vendor Microsoft Win32k · vendor n/a n/a

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."

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe microsoft/windows 2003 serverr2
  • cpe microsoft/windows 7version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows vistaversion unspecified
  • vendor Microsoft Win32kversion unspecified
  • vendor n/a n/aversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2015-1701

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

CVE-2015-1701 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Mar 24, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Win32k against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with microsoft/windows 2003 server r2. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-264. EPSS 55.92%. The CISA KEV listing is the exploitation evidence. A public exploit reference is linked in Sources. That is not the same as confirmed exploitation. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

Windows security

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Apr 21, 2015 · Catalog

    Detected

    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."

  2. Mar 3, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. Mar 24, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Aug 13, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    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."

  5. Aug 14, 2026 · CVE.org

    Updated

    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."

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2015-1701

    An unspecified vulnerability exists in the Win32k.sys kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Server that allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2015-1701

    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."

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2015-1701

    30-day exploitation probability 55.9%

    first.org
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference37049

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference37367

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_windows/local/ms15_051_client_copy_image

    Public module reference (normal). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2015-1701

    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."

    nvd.nist.gov
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2015-1701

    An unspecified vulnerability exists in the Win32k.sys kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Server that allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.

    vulncheck.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.