CVE-2023-21748 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 01/11/2023
Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2023-21675, CVE-2023-21747, CVE-2023-21749, CVE-2023-21750, CVE-2023-21754, CVE-2023-21755, CVE-2023-21772, CVE-2023-21773, CVE-2023-21774.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical Windows kernel elevation of privilege flaw that allows attackers to escalate their privileges from standard user level to system level execution. The vulnerability exists within the kernel mode components of the Windows operating system, specifically affecting how the kernel handles certain privilege checks and memory management operations. The flaw stems from improper validation of privilege levels during kernel function calls, creating a pathway for malicious code to bypass security controls that normally prevent unauthorized access to system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a race condition or improper access control mechanism within kernel drivers that process user-mode requests. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific payloads that manipulate kernel memory structures or function call sequences to gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability manifests when the kernel fails to properly verify the privilege level of incoming requests, allowing unprivileged processes to execute kernel-level operations that should only be accessible to system-level processes. This type of flaw typically relates to improper use of kernel objects, memory protection mechanisms, or privilege checking routines that are fundamental to operating system security.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-21748 is severe as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities without requiring any specialized exploitation techniques beyond standard privilege escalation methods. Once successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, enabling them to modify system files, install rootkits, access all user data, and establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects multiple Windows versions including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server editions, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these systems are commonly deployed. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it operates at the kernel level, making traditional user-mode security controls ineffective against such attacks.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Microsoft, enabling exploit protection features, and configuring advanced threat detection systems to monitor for suspicious kernel-level activity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits. System administrators should also consider implementing kernel-mode exploit prevention measures such as Driver Signature Enforcement, Windows Defender Application Control, and monitoring for abnormal kernel-level process behavior. Additionally, network segmentation and privilege minimization strategies can help reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts by limiting what compromised systems can access within the network infrastructure.