CVE-2016-0075 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The kernel in Microsoft Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application that makes an API call to access sensitive information in the registry, aka "Windows Kernel Local Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0073.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2025
This vulnerability resides within the Windows kernel and represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw that affects multiple Microsoft operating systems including Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, Windows RT 8.1, and various Windows 10 versions. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of registry access permissions within kernel-level API calls, creating an opportunity for malicious applications to bypass normal security controls and access sensitive registry keys that should be restricted to privileged processes only. The flaw specifically manifests when a crafted application invokes kernel APIs that handle registry operations, allowing unauthorized access to kernel-level registry information that contains critical system configuration data and security parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the kernel's registry handling mechanisms failing to properly enforce access control lists and permission checks when processing API requests from user-mode applications. This weakness enables a local attacker to craft malicious applications that exploit the kernel's registry access functions to read sensitive registry keys containing system credentials, security policies, or other privileged information. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level, meaning that successful exploitation can elevate a standard user account to system-level privileges, providing complete control over the affected system. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-264, which specifically addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows local attackers to achieve system-level compromise without requiring network access or remote exploitation capabilities. Once exploited, the attacker gains the ability to modify critical system settings, install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within the target system. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Microsoft products, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited across multiple versions of Windows, increasing the potential attack surface. Organizations running these affected operating systems face significant risk of unauthorized system compromise, with the potential for widespread lateral movement within networks if attackers use this vulnerability to gain initial access to systems. The exploitation requires local access to the target system, but this is often achievable through social engineering, phishing attacks, or other initial compromise techniques that do not require network-level access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include applying the official Microsoft security updates that address the kernel registry access controls and permission validation issues. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected Windows versions, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple systems may be running vulnerable operating systems. Additional protective measures include implementing the principle of least privilege, ensuring that user accounts have minimal necessary permissions, and monitoring for unusual registry access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and endpoint protection solutions can provide additional defense-in-depth layers to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify systems running unsupported or unpatched versions of Windows that may be susceptible to this and similar kernel-level vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access control mechanisms within operating system kernels to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation.