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HighCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

IdentifiersCVE-2019-0803CWE-416

CVE-2019-0803 is a local elevation-of-privilege vulnerability in the Windows Win32k component caused by improper handling of objects in memory. Microsoft describes it as occurring when Win32k fails to properly handle objects in memory, leading to the Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Successful exploitation allows an attacker who already has code execution on a target Windows system to elevate privileges locally. The provided content also notes observed in-the-wild exploitation, including use by Tonto Team and a 2019 SLUB loader associated with Operation Earth Kitsune/APT37 reporting.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation can allow a local attacker to elevate privileges on the affected Windows host, potentially obtaining execution in a more privileged security context and enabling follow-on actions such as disabling protections, accessing restricted data, installing additional malware, or establishing stronger persistence. Based on the available description, this is a post-compromise local privilege-escalation issue rather than an initial remote code execution vector.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce opportunities for local code execution by limiting user ability to run untrusted binaries and scripts, enforcing least privilege, restricting interactive logon where unnecessary, and monitoring for suspicious post-compromise behavior indicative of local privilege-escalation attempts. Because this is a local Win32k EoP, mitigation is primarily compensating control; patching is the definitive fix.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the Microsoft security update that addresses CVE-2019-0803 for affected Windows versions. Prioritize patching systems where untrusted code may already execute, since the vulnerability is used for local privilege escalation after initial compromise. Standard remediation also includes validating that all relevant Windows security updates are installed across endpoints and servers.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

2 valid exploits after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (1 hidden).

VALID 2 / 3 TOTALView more in app
CVE-2019-0803MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository is a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for CVE-2019-0803, a Win32k Elevation of Privilege vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 7 SP1. The structure consists of a Visual Studio solution with project files and a header file (struct.h) that defines various Windows internal structures and constants used in the exploit. The README indicates the exploit's purpose is to steal a security token, allowing local privilege escalation. The exploit must be compiled and run locally on a vulnerable Windows 7 SP1 system. No network or remote attack vector is present; the attack is purely local. The repository references a related exploit for CVE-2016-7255 for further context. The main exploit logic is likely implemented in the (not provided) main.cpp and DDE.cpp files, with struct.h providing necessary data structures for interacting with Windows internals.

IamgublinDisclosed May 17, 2019cppclocal
CVE-2019-0803MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository is a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for CVE-2019-0803, a Win32k Elevation of Privilege vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 7 SP1. The exploit is implemented as a Visual Studio C++ project, with the main code files (such as main.cpp, DDE.cpp, and struct.h) located under win7sp1/poc_test/. The struct.h file defines various Windows kernel structures and constants used for the exploit, including those related to window management and process tokens. The README.md provides a brief description, a screenshot link, and a reference to a related exploit (CVE-2016-7255). The exploit's main capability is to locally escalate privileges by stealing a security token, allowing the attacker to gain elevated access on a vulnerable system. No network or remote attack vectors are present; the exploit must be run locally. The repository is structured as a standard Visual Studio project, and the exploit is at the proof-of-concept stage, requiring manual compilation and execution.

ExpLife0011Disclosed May 17, 2019cppclocal
EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1507operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1607operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1703operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1709operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1803operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1809operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 7operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 8.1operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Rt 8.1operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 1709operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 1803operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2008operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2012operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2016operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2019operating_system

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.
Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence4

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware1

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures2

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.