dbcve.org
Windows 2003 ServerOperating system · Microsoft

CVE-2015-2364

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v2.0 Published 2015-07-14
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 graphics component in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2 and R2 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application that leverages an incorrect bitmap conversion, aka "Graphics Component EOP 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

Local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows graphics component (GDI) where incorrect bitmap conversion allows a crafted application to elevate from standard user to SYSTEM privileges. The vulnerability exists in how Windows processes bitmap images through the graphics subsystem.

MitigationApply Microsoft security update MS15-065 or later which addresses this graphics component vulnerability. As a compensating control, limit local user permissions and ensure users do not run untrusted executables.

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= r2
Windows 7Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 8Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 8.1Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows RtOperating system
Affected:all versions
Windows Rt 8.1Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows Server 2008Operating system
Affected:all versions= r2
Windows Server 2012Operating system
Affected:all versions= r2

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. Check Windows version against affected list
    Run 'winver' or 'systeminfo' from command prompt and compare the displayed Windows version to the list of affected products: Windows 2003 Server (all/R2), Windows 7 (all), Windows 8 (all), Windows 8.1 (all), Windows RT (all), Windows RT 8.1 (all), Windows Server 2008 (all/R2), Windows Server 2012 (all/R2)
    Affected if The installed Windows version matches any product and version listed in the affected products list
  2. Verify GDI component is present
    Confirm that the GDI32.dll file exists in the System32 directory (typically C:\Windows\System32\gdi32.dll). This is the graphics device interface component where the vulnerability resides.
    Affected if The GDI32.dll file exists on the system (it is present by default in all affected Windows installations)
  3. Check installed security updates
    Run 'wmic qfe list' or check Windows Update history for installed security updates. Look for security update MS15-065 or any subsequent related graphics component update.
    Affected if No security update matching or subsequent to MS15-065 is installed on the system
  4. Identify accounts with interactive logon rights
    Review which standard user accounts exist on the system using 'net user' and check if those accounts have the ability to run executables. This vulnerability allows a standard user to escalate to SYSTEM privileges.
    Affected if Non-admin user accounts exist on the system and those users can execute programs (the vulnerability enables such users to gain SYSTEM privileges)

A system is affected if it runs any of the listed Windows versions, contains the GDI component, lacks the MS15-065 or later security update, and has standard user accounts that can run executable code.

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

Apply Microsoft security update MS15-065 or later which addresses this graphics component vulnerability. As a compensating control, limit local user permissions and ensure users do not run untrusted executables.

Fix this in Windows 2003 Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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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-2015-2364 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