Actively exploited in the wild
Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft - Windows · Listed in the CISA KEV since 2021-11-03. This indicates confirmed attacks in production environments.
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CVE-2021-31979
HighCVSS 7.8KEVExploitation Probability (EPSS)
Very high risk91th percentile - higher than 91% of all known CVEs
Summary
Elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Kernel. Could be exploited to gain administrative privileges.
Risk Assessment
Potential full system compromise by a local attacker.
Recommendation
Install security updates released by Microsoft.
Other vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel
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Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
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The Windows kernel vulnerability allows an attacker to run arbitrary code in kernel mode, which can lead to installing programs, changing or deleting data, and creating new accounts with full user rights.
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The Windows kernel has a privilege escalation vulnerability due to the way it handles objects in memory. This affects multiple versions of Windows, including Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2016.
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Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- CVE-2026-24289High
A use after free vulnerability in the Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to locally elevate privileges.
- CVE-2025-62215HighActively exploited
Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- CVE-2024-38106HighActively exploited
A vulnerability in the Windows Kernel allows for elevation of privilege. The NVD description does not provide technical details or required user interaction.
- CVE-2024-30088HighActively exploited
A vulnerability in the Windows kernel allows elevation of privilege. This flaw can be exploited by a local attacker to gain higher privileges on the system.
Original NVD description (English source)
Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

