# CVE-2019-0841: Microsoft Windows AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC) Privilege Escalation

> Attackers can exploit improper hard link handling in Windows AppX Deployment Service to elevate privileges on affected systems.

- **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 15 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Apr 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wqq2-j7vf-7rw9

## What is CVE-2019-0841?

CVE-2019-0841 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1809, published on 9 Apr 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC) improperly handles hard links, aka 'Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2019-0730, CVE-2019-0731, CVE-2019-0796, CVE-2019-0805, CVE-2019-0836.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-0841?

It affects 6 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 10 1703, Microsoft Windows 10 1709, Microsoft Windows 10 1803, Microsoft Windows 10 1809, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-0841?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-0841 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 5 Apr 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-0841 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-0841 in the wild since at least 15 Mar 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- PoC code for CVE-2019-0841 Privilege Escalation vulnerability (github_poc): https://github.com/rogue-kdc/CVE-2019-0841
- A fully automatic CVE-2019-0841 bypass targeting all versions of Edge in Windows 10. (github_poc): https://github.com/0x00-0x00/CVE-2019-0841-BYPASS
- https://github.com/likekabin/CVE-2019-0841 (github_poc): https://github.com/likekabin/CVE-2019-0841
- Microsoft Windows - AppX Deployment Service Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)
- AppXSvc Hard Link Privilege Escalation (metasploit)
- Microsoft Windows - AppX Deployment Service Local Privilege Escalation (2) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10 1809

- [CVE-2018-8414](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8414/): Microsoft Windows Shell Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-1253](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1253/): Microsoft Windows AppX Deployment Server Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-1129](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1129/): Microsoft Windows AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC) Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-0841 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-0841 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1809, published on 9 Apr 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-0841 in the wild since at least 15 Mar 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809. 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-2019-0841/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0841/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-0841
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-0841
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-0841

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0841/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.