CVE-2022-22718KEV · OVERDUE

Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

High · published February 9, 2022

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 7.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 97.2th percentile for exploit probability.

1628
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
7.8
EPSS
18%
Percentile
97.2
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 A crafty attacker can easily grab elevated privileges through the Windows Print Spooler — like sneaking backstage at a concert with a fake pass! Think of the Print Spooler as a busy restaurant where orders are prepared. If someone can slip a false order to the chef, they could get a gourmet meal for free, bypassing the usual checks! This elevation of privilege vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining full control over the system. This means they could install programs, view or change sensitive data, or even delete everything! It's a recipe for disaster if not addressed!

Put simply

Think of the Print Spooler as a busy restaurant where orders are prepared. If someone can slip a false order to the chef, they could get a gourmet meal for free, bypassing the usual checks! CVE-2022-22718 is a vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler that allows an attacker to escalate privileges by exploiting the way the service handles print requests. It can be exploited remotely, making it particularly dangerous for organizations.

What to do

This elevation of privilege vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining full control over the system. This means they could install programs, view or change sensitive data, or even delete everything! It's a recipe for disaster if not addressed! To mitigate this, disable the Print Spooler service if it’s not needed, and ensure you're running the latest updates from Microsoft to patch the vulnerability. Regularly auditing your systems for any unauthorized access is also a great way to stay secure! You've got this! Stay vigilant and follow these steps to protect your systems! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
7.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.18464 · 97.2th percentile
Published
2022-02-09T16:37Z
KEV added
2022-04-19 · due 2022-05-10
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 19 APR 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by May 10
    kev
  • 09 FEB 16:37Z
    Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    cvelistv5