CVE-2022-21971

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows 10 1809 ≤ 10.0.17763.2565

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedMemory Safety

Published

09 February 2022

Modified

30 October 2025

KEV Added

18 August 2022

Patch / advisory

View advisory

CVSS Score v3.1 7.8

Click a component to see what it means

Raw vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Score 0.54 99th percentile

Risk Priority 83 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2022-21971 is a high-severity Access of Uninitialized Pointer (CWE-824) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1809. 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 1% 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.

CVE-2022-21971 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows Runtime component, present across multiple versions of Microsoft Windows. It stems from access of an uninitialized pointer (CWE-824) and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8, reflecting local attack vector, low complexity, no required privileges, and required user interaction that nonetheless yields high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

An attacker with the ability to supply a malicious file or trigger specific local actions can exploit the flaw to execute arbitrary code in the context of the logged-on user, enabling full compromise of the affected system without additional authentication.

Microsoft security updates addressing the issue are detailed in the vendor advisory, while CISA includes CVE-2022-21971 in its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities. The associated EPSS score has remained at a sustained high of 0.8779, indicating ongoing exploitation interest after public disclosure.

EU & UK References

🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2022-27126

Vulnerability Data

Windows Runtime Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CWE(s): CWE-824
KEV Date Added: 18 August 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 →

T1211 Exploitation for Stealth Stealth

Adversaries may exploit vulnerabilities to evade detection by hiding activity, suppressing logging, or operating within trusted or unmonitored components.

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-2022-21882Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2022-24521Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2015-1770Same vendor: Microsoftboth on KEV

CVE-2022-41125Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2022-37969Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2021-34486Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2022-41073Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2022-41128Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2021-28310Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

CVE-2021-1732Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809both on KEV

Affected Assets

microsoft

windows 10 1809

≤ 10.0.17763.2565

microsoft

windows 10 1909

≤ 10.0.18363.2094

microsoft

windows 10 20h2

≤ 10.0.19042.1526

microsoft

windows 10 21h1

≤ 10.0.19043.1526

microsoft

windows 10 21h2

≤ 10.0.19044.1526

microsoft

windows 11 21h2

≤ 10.0.22000.493

microsoft

windows server 2019

≤ 10.0.17763.2565

microsoft

windows server 2022

≤ 10.0.20348.524

microsoft

windows server 20h2

≤ 10.0.19042.1526

Mitigating Controls

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 SDLC practices directly prevent uninitialized pointer bugs via coding standards, analysis, and reviews, but eliminating this single weakness only partially fulfills the broader control.

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.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match

finds

Security testing can detect uninitialized pointer usage before release.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match

prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates practices that reduce uninitialized pointer defects.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match

degrades

Application security requirements can specify pointer initialization rules.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match

degrades

Secure architecture principles discourage unsafe pointer handling.