Microsoft Windows Secondary Logon Service Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft · Windows
CVSS 7.8
EPSS 37%
4 public exploits
ransomware
Fix deadline passed 24 March 2022
What it is
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows if the Windows Secondary Logon Service fails to properly manage request handles in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code as an administrator.
Why we say that
- Linked by CISA to known ransomware campaigns
- 4 public exploits published
- CISA's federal remediation deadline (2022-03-24) has passed
- Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
Every line above comes from a named public source. Where the evidence is thin, we say so rather than inventing confidence — see methodology.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Public exploit code
Indexed from Exploit-DB. Presence of code raises urgency; absence does not mean safety.
- Microsoft Windows 7 < 10 / 2008 < 2012 (x86/x64) - Secondary Logon Handle Privilege Escalation (MS16-032) (Metasploit)
- Microsoft Windows 7 < 10 / 2008 < 2012 (x86/x64) - Local Privilege Escalation (MS16-032)
- Microsoft Windows 7 < 10 / 2008 < 2012 R2 (x86/x64) - Local Privilege Escalation (MS16-032) (PowerShell)
- Microsoft Windows 8.1/10 (x86) - Secondary Logon Standard Handles Missing Sanitization Privilege Escalation (MS16-032)
What it costs when this goes wrong
This is where UK enforcement meets the vulnerability record. This vulnerability is used in ransomware campaigns; here is what ransomware has cost UK organisations at the regulator.
- Advanced Computer Software Group Limited The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Advanced Computer Software Group Ltd (Advanced) £3.07m for security failings…
- Optionis Group Limited The data controller suffered a ransomware attack, which resulted in the exfiltration of personal data. A reprimand was issued in r…