Cyber Resilience

CVE-2022-21972

Microsoft Windows 10 1607 … 21h2

High EPSS
Published
10 May 2022
Modified
02 January 2025
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.1
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.80 99.6th percentile
Risk Priority 81 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2022-21972 is a high-severity an unspecified weakness vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10. Its CVSS base score is 8.1 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-7 (Boundary Protection) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

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-2022-21972 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol component. It affects Windows systems that implement this protocol, which is commonly used for VPN connections.

The flaw can be reached over the network by an unauthenticated attacker who needs no user interaction, although the attack complexity is rated high. Successful exploitation can result in full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the target system.

Microsoft security advisories for CVE-2022-21972 are available at the referenced MSRC update guide and portal URLs and describe the patches released to address the issue.

The associated EPSS score stands at 0.4856 with an identical peak value, showing no material upward trajectory after disclosure.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Windows Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CWE(s)

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
Remote unauthenticated RCE in a network-facing VPN component directly enables exploitation of public-facing applications.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movementconfidence: HIGH
The flaw allows remote code execution against the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol service, enabling exploitation of remote services.
inferred from description · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

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CVE-2023-21746Same product: Microsoft Windows 10
CVE-2022-26809Same product: Microsoft Windows 10
CVE-2023-21757Same product: Microsoft Windows 10
CVE-2023-21776Same product: Microsoft Windows 10
CVE-2022-41076Same product: Microsoft Windows 10
CVE-2022-23270Same product: Microsoft Windows 10
CVE-2022-37958Same product: Microsoft Windows 10

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 10
1607, 1809, 1909, 20h2, 21h1
microsoft
windows 11
all versions
microsoft
windows 7
all versions
microsoft
windows 8.1
all versions
microsoft
windows rt 8.1
all versions
microsoft
windows server
20h2
microsoft
windows server 2008
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2012
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2016
all versions
microsoft
windows server 2019
all versions
+1 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

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)

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

prevent

Directly requires applying the vendor patches Microsoft released to eliminate the unauthenticated RCE flaw in the PPTP component.

prevent

Boundary protection devices can block or restrict network traffic to the vulnerable PPTP ports and protocol, stopping remote exploitation before it reaches the host.

AC-17 Remote Access partial match
prevent

Remote-access control policies and procedures govern the use and configuration of VPN protocols such as PPTP, allowing organizations to disable or tightly constrain the affected service.

References