# CVE-2015-1701: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> CVE-2015-1701: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. CVSS 7.8 (CVSS 3.1), in CISA KEV.

Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2015-1701
Last updated: 2026-08-14T03:55:38Z

- Published: 2015-04-21 10:00 UTC · Updated: 2026-08-14 03:55 UTC · Assigner: microsoft
- CVSS: 7.8 (CVSS 3.1) · Severity: High · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS: 55.9%, 99th percentile (scored 2026-10-25)
- CISA KEV: yes, added 2022-03-03, federal due date 2022-03-24, ransomware use: Known

## Description

Win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP2, and Server 2008 SP2 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, as exploited in the wild in April 2015, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

## CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

## Affected vendors and products

- Microsoft: Win32k

## References

- [CVE record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-1701)
- [NVD entry](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-1701)
- [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2015/ms15-051](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2015/ms15-051)
- [http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/May/34](http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/May/34)
- [https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37049/](https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37049/)
- [https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37367/](https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37367/)
- [https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2015/04/probable\_apt28\_useo.html](https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2015/04/probable_apt28_useo.html)
- [http://twitter.com/symantec/statuses/590208710527549440](http://twitter.com/symantec/statuses/590208710527549440)
- [http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/74245](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/74245)
- [http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1032155](http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1032155)

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_Sources: CVE records from the CVE Program (cve.org). CVE® is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. (https://www.cve.org/) This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. (https://nvd.nist.gov/) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog from CISA. (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) EPSS scores from FIRST (Exploit Prediction Scoring System). (https://www.first.org/epss/)_


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Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2015-1701 · Markdown: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2015-1701.md · JSON: https://rewindex.com/api/v1/cves/CVE-2015-1701 · Data licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) · Generated 2026-10-26T02:44:55.859Z