# CVE-2012-0157: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can gain elevated privileges by exploiting improper window messaging handling in the Windows kernel driver via a crafted application.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Mar 2012
- **Updated:** 17 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-55fr-8qcg-gvp7

## What is CVE-2012-0157?

CVE-2012-0157 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 13 Mar 2012. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2, R2, and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 Gold and SP1 does not properly handle window messaging, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application that calls the PostMessage function, aka "PostMessage Function Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-0157?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Xp.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-0157?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-0157 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-0157 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-0157 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 7

- [CVE-2015-1635](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1635/): Microsoft HTTP.sys Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2360](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2360/): Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-6324](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-6324/): Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-6332](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-6332/): Microsoft Windows Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) Automation Array Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-4148](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4148/): Microsoft Windows Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-0157 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-0157 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 13 Mar 2012. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-0157 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 7. 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-2012-0157/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0157/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-0157
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-0157
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-0157

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0157/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.