Cyber Resilience

CVE-2004-0210

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows 2000

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedMemory Safety
Published
06 August 2004
Modified
16 April 2026
KEV Added
03 March 2022
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.072 94th percentile
Risk Priority 83 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2004-0210 is a high-severity Classic Buffer Overflow (CWE-120) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

The vulnerability is a buffer overflow, identified as CWE-120, in the POSIX component of Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 2000. It is triggered by certain parameters, possibly involving modification of message length values, and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 with a local attack vector.

Local users with access to an affected system can exploit the flaw to execute arbitrary code, resulting in full impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The issue was published in August 2004.

Advisories and patches referenced in sources such as the Microsoft security bulletin MS04-020, US-CERT TA04-196A, and CERT VU 647436 address the vulnerability through updates for the impacted Windows platforms.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The POSIX component of Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 2000 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via certain parameters, possibly by modifying message length values and causing a buffer overflow.

CWE(s)
CWE-120
KEV Date Added
03 March 2022

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
attack.mitre.org →
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2006-2492Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2013-1331Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2017-7269Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2016-0099Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2010-2572Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2002-0367Same product: Microsoft Windows 2000both on KEV
CVE-2010-0249Same product: Microsoft Windows 2000both on KEV
CVE-2010-0806Same product: Microsoft Windows 2000both on KEV
CVE-2020-17087Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2023-21674Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV

Affected Assets

microsoft
interix
2.2
microsoft
windows 2000
all versions
microsoft
windows nt
4.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.2.1

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SC-27 Platform-independent Applications
addresses: CWE-120

Platform-independent managed code eliminates the need for unchecked native buffer copies that are the root cause of classic buffer overflows.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices directly enforce bounds checking and input validation that prevent classic buffer overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes such as code review or scanning detect classic buffer overflows before exploitation.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching replaces vulnerable code containing unchecked buffer copies with corrected versions.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.28 Secure coding mostly match
prevents

Secure coding directly requires bounds-checked memory operations, addressing the root cause of CWE-120.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect buffer overflows through fuzzing and static analysis, though it does not prevent them at the source.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates processes that can include input validation and bounds checking to prevent buffer overflows.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify input-size validation and safe buffer handling to mitigate classic buffer overflows.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure system architecture and engineering principles promote defensive coding patterns that reduce the likelihood of unchecked buffer copies.

References