dbcve.org
Windows 2003 ServerOperating system · Microsoft

CVE-2010-1897

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v2.0 Published 2010-08-11
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
77/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The Windows kernel-mode drivers in win32k.sys in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2, and Windows 7 do not properly validate pseudo-handle values in callback parameters during window creation, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Window Creation Vulnerability."

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

This is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows kernel-mode driver (win32k.sys) that fails to properly validate pseudo-handle values in callback parameters during window creation. A local attacker with the ability to run a crafted application can exploit this to gain elevated (kernel/DATA execution) privileges on affected Windows systems.

MitigationDeploy Microsoft Security Update MS10-048 to all affected systems, or ensure systems receive the update through WSUS/Windows Update. For legacy systems no longer receiving patches, consider compensating controls such as restricting local user permissions or upgrading to supported Windows versions.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Windows 2003 ServerOperating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 7Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows Server 2003Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows Server 2008Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows VistaOperating system
Affected:all versions
Windows XpOperating system
Affected:all versions

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Windows version
    Run 'winver' or 'systeminfo' from command prompt to obtain the exact Windows version and build number
    Affected if The version is Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008 (any edition)
  2. Verify patch KB981852 is installed
    Run 'wmic qfe list | findstr KB981852' or check registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\Packages for the presence of the update package containing KB981852
    Affected if The KB981852 update is NOT installed on the system
  3. Confirm win32k.sys version as secondary indicator
    Locate win32k.sys in C:\Windows\System32\ and view file properties to see the version, or run 'wmic datafile where "name=\'C:\\\\Windows\\\\System32\\\\win32k.sys\'" get Version'
    Affected if The win32k.sys version is older than the version released with MS10-048 patch (this is a supplementary check; patch absence is definitive)
  4. Check for presence of exploit-ready local access
    Review system security logs and audit policy to determine if untrusted local users have the ability to execute arbitrary code (this vulnerability requires a local attacker to run a crafted application)
    Affected if Untrusted local users have execution permissions and the system lacks the MS10-048 patch

The system is affected if it runs an unpatched Windows XP, Vista, 7, Server 2003, or Server 2008 installation where KB981852 has not been applied, allowing a local user to potentially escalate privileges via win32k.sys callback validation flaw

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Deploy Microsoft Security Update MS10-048 to all affected systems, or ensure systems receive the update through WSUS/Windows Update. For legacy systems no longer receiving patches, consider compensating controls such as restricting local user permissions or upgrading to supported Windows versions.

Fix this in Windows 2003 Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2010-1897 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data