Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-28218

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 r2

Memory Safety
Published
11 April 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.0
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.12 96th percentile
Risk Priority 67 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-28218 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Its CVSS base score is 7.0 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 4% 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-2023-28218 is an elevation of privilege flaw in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock, carrying a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.0 with the vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H and linked to CWE-122. It affects the WinSock driver component within Windows operating systems.

A local attacker already holding low-privileged access on a system can exploit the issue to obtain high privileges over confidentiality, integrity, and availability, although successful exploitation requires high attack complexity and no user interaction.

Microsoft has published mitigation details and patch information for this vulnerability in its security update guide at the referenced MSRC advisory URL.

The associated EPSS score stands at 0.3040 with no indicated rise from a lower baseline.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

CWE(s)
CWE-122NVD-CWE-noinfo

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-2023-28275Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-21690Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-23415Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-24943Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-24912Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-28227Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-21689Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-21799Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-21692Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2023-28269Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 10 1507
≤ 10.0.10240.19869
microsoft
windows 10 1607
≤ 10.0.14393.5850
microsoft
windows 10 1809
≤ 10.0.17763.4252
microsoft
windows 10 20h2
≤ 10.0.19042.2846
microsoft
windows 10 21h2
≤ 10.0.19044.2846
microsoft
windows 10 22h2
≤ 10.0.19045.2846
microsoft
windows 11 21h2
≤ 10.0.22000.1817
microsoft
windows 11 22h2
≤ 10.0.22621.1555
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

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)
  • V1.4.1

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 full match
prevents

Secure-development practices directly require bounds checking and safe memory handling that prevent heap overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning and recording can discover heap-overflow flaws but does not prevent their introduction in code.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Timely patching removes known heap-overflow instances after they exist.

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 in development and acceptance can detect heap overflows before release.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates practices that reduce the likelihood of introducing heap overflows.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify bounds-checking and safe memory APIs that mitigate heap overflows.

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

Secure architecture and engineering principles include memory-safety and input-validation controls that address heap overflows.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards directly prescribe techniques (safe functions, bounds checks) that prevent heap-based buffer overflows.

A.8.32 Change management none match
none

Change management ensures controlled deployment of fixes for discovered heap-overflow vulnerabilities.

References