# CVE-2002-0367: Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation

> Local attackers can gain SYSTEM privileges by exploiting improper authentication in the smss.exe debugging subsystem via handle duplication.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 2 Apr 2003
- **Updated:** 22 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-53gp-9cgv-fj68

## What is CVE-2002-0367?

CVE-2002-0367 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000, published on 2 Apr 2003. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

smss.exe debugging subsystem in Windows NT and Windows 2000 does not properly authenticate programs that connect to other programs, which allows local users to gain administrator or SYSTEM privileges by duplicating a handle to a privileged process, as demonstrated by DebPloit.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2002-0367?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows Nt.

## How do I fix CVE-2002-0367?

No fix has been published for CVE-2002-0367 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 24 Mar 2022.

## Is CVE-2002-0367 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2002-0367 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0/2000 - Process Handle Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 2000

- [CVE-2008-4250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4250/): Microsoft Windows Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-0232](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0232/): Microsoft Windows Kernel Exception Handler (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2009-1123](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1123/): Microsoft Windows Improper Input Validation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-0269](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0269/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-0231](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0231/): Weak cryptography in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2002-0367 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2002-0367 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000, published on 2 Apr 2003. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2002-0367 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 2000. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0367/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0367/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-0367
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2002-0367
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2002-0367

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0367/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.