CVE-2022-21999 Microsoft Windows Print Spooler Privilege Escalation
An attacker can exploit path traversal in the Windows Print Spooler to elevate privileges on affected Windows systems.
- Exploited in the wild
- Since 25 Mar 2022
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2022-21999?
CVE-2022-21999 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 9 Feb 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-21999?
It affects 17 products.
Products include Microsoft Windows 10 1507, Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1809, Microsoft Windows 10 1909, Microsoft Windows 10 20h2, Microsoft Windows 10 21h1 and 11 more.
How do I fix CVE-2022-21999?
No fix has been published for CVE-2022-21999 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 15 Apr 2022.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is CVE-2022-21999 being exploited?
Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2022-21999 in the wild since at least 25 Mar 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.
Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module and 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10 1507
- CVE-2017-8543 Microsoft Windows Search Remote Code Execution
- CVE-2025-33053 Microsoft Windows External Control of File Name or Path
- CVE-2025-33073 Microsoft Windows SMB Client Improper Access Control
- CVE-2024-49039 Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler Privilege Escalation
- CVE-2024-43461 Microsoft Windows MSHTML Platform Spoofing
Sources
Also known as GHSA-9cr3-63pg-942x.