dbcve.org
Windows 10 1607Operating system · Microsoft

CVE-2023-21680

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-01-10
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
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
Windows Win32k Elevation of Privilege 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 · moderate confidence

This is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Win32k kernel-mode graphics subsystem. The flaw allows a local attacker to gain elevated SYSTEM-level privileges by exploiting a weakness in how Win32k handles certain graphics operations. The vulnerability is classified as local-only (not remotely exploitable) but can be combined with other flaws in attack chains.

MitigationApply the Microsoft security update released in February 2023 (KB5002537 or subsequent cumulative updates) to all affected Windows systems. Prioritize domain controllers and servers handling sensitive workloads.

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 10 1607Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 10 1809Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 10 20h2Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 10 21h2Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 10 22h2Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 11 21h2Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 11 22h2Operating system
Affected:all versions
Windows 7Operating 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
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

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

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 and build number
    Run 'winver' or 'systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version"' to get the exact Windows version and build number
    Affected if Version matches Windows 10 1607, 1809, 20h2, 21h2, 22h2, Windows 11 21h2, 22h2, or Windows 7 (any build)
  2. Verify Win32k subsystem is present
    The Win32k.sys driver loads automatically on Windows desktop and server systems with GUI. Confirm the system is a desktop or has Remote Desktop Services enabled. Check via 'sc query win32k' or verify the driver loads at runtime
    Affected if System runs a Windows desktop edition or has GUI components enabled (Win32k.sys loads)
  3. Check for security update KB5002537 or later
    Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > View installed updates, or run 'powershell get-hotfix -id KB5002537' to see if the February 2023 update is installed
    Affected if The KB5002537 update (or later cumulative update containing the fix) is NOT installed
  4. Confirm vulnerability is exploitable locally
    This is a local-only privilege escalation. Verify by checking system for unpatched Win32k component. Use 'driverquery /v | findstr win32k' to check driver version and compare against the patched version released in February 2023
    Affected if System is unpatched and running with an active user session (attacker needs local access)

A system is affected if it runs any of the listed Windows versions AND the February 2023 security update (KB5002537 or later) has not been installed.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the Microsoft security update released in February 2023 (KB5002537 or subsequent cumulative updates) to all affected Windows systems. Prioritize domain controllers and servers handling sensitive workloads.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2023-21680 via Windows Update (KB number varies by Windows version); Windows 7 has no patch as it reached end of support

  1. Open Windows Update by pressing the Windows key and typing 'Windows Update'
  2. Click 'Check for updates' to download and install the latest security updates
  3. If automatic updates are disabled, enable them via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options
  4. Restart the computer after updates are installed
  5. Verify the update was applied by checking Windows Update history for the relevant security patch
Caveat None for supported Windows versions; Windows 7 users must upgrade to a supported OS as no security update is available

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Windows 10 1607 Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
20.0 hours of engineering $3,500
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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-2023-21680 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