# CVE-2014-1812: Microsoft Windows Group Policy Preferences Password Privilege Escalation

> Authenticated attackers can read Group Policy passwords from SYSVOL to gain elevated privileges on Windows systems.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 May 2014
- **Updated:** 22 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cm2m-vv5g-hpc2

## What is CVE-2014-1812?

CVE-2014-1812 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 14 May 2014. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Group Policy implementation in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2 does not properly handle distribution of passwords, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive credential information and consequently gain privileges by leveraging access to the SYSVOL share, as exploited in the wild in May 2014, aka "Group Policy Preferences Password Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-255, CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-1812?

It affects 6 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Vista.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-1812?

No fix has been published for CVE-2014-1812 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2014-1812 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2014-1812 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- This little script encrypts password to gpp cpassword. It useful to create vulnerable lab AD (CVE-2014-1812). (github_poc): https://github.com/mauricelambert/gpp-encrypt
- SMB Group Policy Preference Saved Passwords Enumeration (metasploit)

## 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-2014-1812 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-1812 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 14 May 2014. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2014-1812 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021, including in ransomware campaigns.

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-2014-1812/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-1812/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-1812
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-1812
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-1812

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-1812/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.