CVE-2023-21684

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows 10 1809 ≤ 10.0.17763.4010

Memory Safety

Published

14 February 2023

Modified

19 August 2026

Patch / advisory

View advisory

CVSS Score v3.1 8.8

Click a component to see what it means

Raw vector

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

EPSS Score 0.013 70th percentile

Risk Priority 75 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2023-21684 is a high-severity Wrap or Wraparound (CWE-191) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1809. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique LSASS Memory (T1003.001); ranked in the top 30% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV 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 CVE-2023-21684 is a remote code execution issue in the Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver. It is rated 8.8 under CVSS 3.1 with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H and is linked to CWE-191.

An attacker with low privileges can exploit the flaw over a network connection without requiring user interaction, resulting in full impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the target system.

Microsoft has published advisory and patch information for the vulnerability at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2023-21684. The EPSS score has remained flat at a peak of 0.1506 with no material rise observed after disclosure.

EU & UK References

🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-25851

Vulnerability Data

Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CWE(s): CWE-191 NVD-CWE-noinfo

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1003.001 LSASS Memory Credential Access

Adversaries may attempt to access credential material stored in the process memory of the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS).

attack.mitre.org →

T1003.003 NTDS Credential Access

Adversaries may attempt to access or create a copy of the Active Directory domain database in order to steal credential information, as well as obtain other information about domain members such as devices, users, and access rights.

attack.mitre.org →

T1003.005 Cached Domain Credentials Credential Access

Adversaries may attempt to access cached domain credentials used to allow authentication to occur in the event a domain controller is unavailable.

attack.mitre.org →

T1003.008 /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow Credential Access

Adversaries may attempt to dump the contents of <code>/etc/passwd</code> and <code>/etc/shadow</code> to enable offline password cracking.

attack.mitre.org →

T1005 Data from Local System Collection

Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.

attack.mitre.org →

T1008 Fallback Channels Command And Control

Adversaries may use fallback or alternate communication channels if the primary channel is compromised or inaccessible in order to maintain reliable command and control and to avoid data transfer thresholds.

attack.mitre.org →

Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-21708Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

CVE-2023-24887Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

CVE-2023-28272Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

CVE-2023-28250Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

CVE-2023-28293Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607

CVE-2023-24864Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

CVE-2023-32014Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

CVE-2023-35387Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

CVE-2023-24911Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607

CVE-2024-38050Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

Affected Assets

microsoft

windows 10 1507

≤ 10.0.10240.19747 · ≤ 10.0.10240.19747

microsoft

windows 10 1607

≤ 10.0.14393.5717 · ≤ 10.0.14393.5717

microsoft

windows 10 1809

≤ 10.0.17763.4010 · ≤ 10.0.17763.4010 · ≤ 10.0.17763.4010

microsoft

windows 10 20h2

≤ 10.0.19042.2604 · ≤ 10.0.19042.2604 · ≤ 10.0.19042.2604

microsoft

windows 10 21h2

≤ 10.0.19044.2604 · ≤ 10.0.19044.2604 · ≤ 10.0.19044.2604

microsoft

windows 10 22h2

≤ 10.0.19045.2604 · ≤ 10.0.19045.2604 · ≤ 10.0.19045.2604

microsoft

windows 11 21h2

≤ 10.0.22000.1574 · ≤ 10.0.22000.1574

microsoft

windows 11 22h2

≤ 10.0.22621.1265 · ≤ 10.0.22621.1265

microsoft

windows server 2008

all versions, r2

microsoft

windows server 2012

all versions, r2

+3 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

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.

ID.RA-01 partial match

blocks

Vulnerability scanning and code analysis can surface underflow flaws after they are introduced.

PR.PS-02 partial match

blocks

Routine patching can remediate known underflow bugs once they are discovered in deployed software.

PR.PS-06 partial match

blocks

Secure SDLC practices directly prevent integer underflow defects via input validation, bounds checking, and static analysis.

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.5.14 Information transfer partial match

removes

A.5.15 Access control partial match

removes

A.5.16 Identity management partial match

removes

A.5.17 Authentication information partial match

removes

A.5.18 Access rights partial match

removes

A.8.10 Information deletion partial match

removes