Cyber Resilience

CVE-2016-0099

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 r2

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedPublic PoCRansomware-linkedMemory Safety
Published
09 March 2016
Modified
22 April 2026
KEV Added
03 March 2022
Patch / 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 0.37 98th percentile
Risk Priority 83 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2016-0099 is a high-severity Classic Buffer Overflow (CWE-120) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2008. 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 2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

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 an elevation of privilege flaw in the Secondary Logon Service of Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows 10 Gold and 1511. It stems from improper processing of request handles and is tracked as CWE-120, carrying a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8.

Local authenticated users can exploit the issue by running a crafted application on an affected system, resulting in the ability to gain higher privileges on the host. The attack requires no user interaction beyond executing the malicious code and does not need network access.

Microsoft addressed the vulnerability in security bulletin MS16-032, which supplies patches for the listed Windows versions; administrators should apply the updates according to the bulletin guidance. Public exploit code for the flaw has been published on Exploit-DB.

The issue enables straightforward local privilege escalation on unpatched systems and has been publicly demonstrated since its disclosure in March 2016.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The Secondary Logon Service in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows 10 Gold and 1511 does not properly process…

more

request handles, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Secondary Logon Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

CWE(s)
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.
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.
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2017-0022Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507both on KEV
CVE-2017-0263Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507both on KEV
CVE-2015-2546Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507both on KEV
CVE-2006-2492Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2013-1331Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2017-7269Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2004-0210Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2010-2572Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV
CVE-2017-0149Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507both on KEV
CVE-2016-0189Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507both on KEV

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 10 1507
all versions
microsoft
windows 10 1511
all versions
microsoft
windows 7
all versions
microsoft
windows 8.1
all versions
microsoft
windows server 2008
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2012
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows vista
all versions

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.

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.

prevents

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

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.

prevents

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

prevents

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

prevents

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

References