High severity · published Jul 22, 2021
CVE-2021-36934
Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
In wildKEV
7.8
CVSS
67.3%
EPSS
Yes
On KEV
Description
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists because of overly permissive Access Control Lists (ACLs) on multiple system files, including the Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database. 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. An attacker must have the ability to execute code on a victim system to exploit this vulnerability. After installing this security update, you must manually delete all shadow copies of system files, including the SAM database, to fully mitigate this vulnerabilty. Simply installing this security update will not fully mitigate this vulnerability. See KB5005357- Delete Volume Shadow Copies.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)67.3% · higher than 99% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildYes
CISA KEVListed Feb 10, 2022
Federal remediation dueFeb 24, 2022
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
WI
Windows · Microsoft
All versions, or not specified · source: KEV
W1
Windows 10 Version 1809 · Microsoft
10.0.17763.0 before 10.0.17763.2114; 10.0.0 before 10.0.17763.2114 · source: vendor
W1
Windows 10 Version 1909 · Microsoft
10.0.0 before 10.0.18363.1734 · source: vendor
W1
Windows 10 Version 2004 · Microsoft
10.0.0 before 10.0.19041.1165 · source: vendor
W1
Windows 10 Version 20H2 · Microsoft
10.0.0 before 10.0.19042.1165 · source: vendor
W1
Windows 10 Version 21H1 · Microsoft
10.0.0 before 10.0.19043.1165 · source: vendor
W1
Windows 10 1809 · Microsoft
before 10.0.17763.2114 · source: NVD
W1
Windows 10 1909 · Microsoft
before 10.0.18363.1734 · source: NVD
W1
Windows 10 2004 · Microsoft
before 10.0.19041.1165 · source: NVD
W1
Windows 10 20h2 · Microsoft
before 10.0.19042.1165 · source: NVD
W1
Windows 10 21h1 · Microsoft
before 10.0.19043.1165 · source: NVD
Affected product
WI
Windows
Microsoft
More from Windows
10.0
CVE-2020-1350
Microsoft Windows DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
9.8
CVE-2025-59287
Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
9.8
CVE-2019-0708
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
9.8
CVE-2017-8543
Microsoft Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
9.8
CVE-2008-4250
Microsoft Windows Buffer Overflow Vulnerability