Microsoft Windows up to Server 2022 Authentication privilege escalation

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
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CTI Interest Score
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6.8$5k-$25k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2022. It has been classified as critical. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component Authentication. Performing a manipulation results in an unknown weakness. This vulnerability was named CVE-2023-21539. The attack may be initiated remotely. There is no available exploit. To fix this issue, it is recommended to deploy a patch.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2022 (Operating System). This affects an unknown code block of the component Authentication. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The weakness was presented 01/10/2023 as confirmed security guidance (Website). It is possible to read the advisory at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2023-21539. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/19/2025).

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at EUVD (EUVD-2023-25706). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.8

VulDB Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Temp Score: 6.5
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Vendor Base Score (Microsoft): 7.5
Vendor Vector (Microsoft): 🔍

CNA Base Score: 7.5
CNA Vector (Microsoft): 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privilege escalation
CWE: Unknown
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Unproven

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

12/01/2022 🔍
01/10/2023 +40 days 🔍
01/10/2023 +0 days 🔍
01/10/2023 +0 days 🔍
09/19/2025 +983 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com
Product: microsoft.com

Advisory: portal.msrc.microsoft.com
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2023-21539 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-21539
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-217803
EUVD: 🔍
scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161215

Entryinfo

Created: 01/10/2023 21:02
Updated: 09/19/2025 13:53
Changes: 01/10/2023 21:02 (35), 01/10/2023 21:05 (19), 01/31/2023 09:49 (2), 01/31/2023 09:50 (10), 09/19/2025 13:53 (15)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

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