# CVE-2015-0002: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can gain administrative privileges by exploiting improper token verification in the Windows Application Compatibility component.

- **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:** 13 Jan 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jmf2-h3mv-m742

## What is CVE-2015-0002?

CVE-2015-0002 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 13 Jan 2015. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The AhcVerifyAdminContext function in ahcache.sys in the Application Compatibility component in Microsoft Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 does not verify that an impersonation token is associated with an administrative account, which allows local users to gain privileges by running AppCompatCache.exe with a crafted DLL file, aka MSRC ID 20544 or "Microsoft Application Compatibility Infrastructure Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-0002?

It affects 7 products.


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

## How do I fix CVE-2015-0002?

No fix has been published for CVE-2015-0002 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2015-0002 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-0002 exists.

Public exploit code:

- MS15-001 Microsoft Windows NtApphelpCacheControl Improper Authorization Check (metasploit)
- Microsoft Windows 8.1 (x86/x64) - 'ahcache.sys' NtApphelpCacheControl Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## 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-2015-0002 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-0002 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7, published on 13 Jan 2015. 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-2015-0002 exists.

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-2015-0002/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0002/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-0002
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-0002
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-0002

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0002/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.