# CVE-2009-0078: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can escalate privileges by exploiting improper process isolation in the Windows Management Instrumentation service.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Apr 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-66w8-976g-q7m9

## What is CVE-2009-0078?

CVE-2009-0078 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, published on 15 Apr 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Vista Gold and SP1, and Server 2008 does not properly implement isolation among a set of distinct processes that (1) all run under the NetworkService account or (2) all run under the LocalService account, which allows local users to gain privileges by accessing the resources of one of the processes, aka "Windows WMI Service Isolation Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-0078?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Xp.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-0078?

No fix has been published for CVE-2009-0078 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2009-0078 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-0078 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/2003/2008 - WMI Service Isolation Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows Server 2003

- [CVE-2011-2005](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2005/): Microsoft Ancillary Function Driver (afd.sys) Improper Input Validation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-3863](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3863/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2013-3181](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3181/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2013-0077](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-0077/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2012-0009](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0009/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-0078 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-0078 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, published on 15 Apr 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-0078 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows Server 2003. 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-2009-0078/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0078/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-0078
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-0078
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-0078

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0078/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.