CVE-2017-0001
Microsoft Graphics Device Interface (GDI) Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2017-0001 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Microsoft Graphics Device Interface (GDI), carrying a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8. This vulnerability allows an attacker to escalate privileges on the affected system by exploiting improper handling in the software's processing logic. This CVE has been added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2022-03-03, confirming active exploitation in the wild with a federal remediation deadline of 2022-03-24. With an EPSS score of 25.4% (96.13th percentile), the probability of exploitation activity is notable compared to other known vulnerabilities.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| microsoft | windows 10 1507 | - |
| microsoft | windows 10 1511 | - |
| microsoft | windows 10 1607 | - |
| microsoft | windows 7 | - |
| microsoft | windows 8.1 | - |
| microsoft | windows rt 8.1 | - |
| microsoft | windows server 2008 | -; r2 |
| microsoft | windows server 2012 | -; r2 |
| microsoft | windows server 2016 | - |
| microsoft | windows vista | - |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/96057(Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038002(Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2017-0001(Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-0001(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE-noinfo: Unspecified
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0001 relates to a weakness in Microsoft Graphics Device Interface (GDI) where the software fails to properly handle certain operations, leading to a security condition that can be exploited by an attacker. While the specific CWE classification may not have detailed context available, the nature of the vulnerability — allowing privilege escalation — indicates a fundamental flaw in how the software processes or validates certain input or operations. This type of weakness is commonly found in complex software products where the interaction between components creates opportunities for exploitation.
In the context of Microsoft Graphics Device Interface (GDI), this weakness is particularly concerning because it can be exploited by a local attacker to escalate their privileges or compromise system integrity. The high severity rating and its inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog reflect the real-world danger this weakness poses. Organizations should treat this vulnerability with high urgency, applying vendor-provided patches and implementing defense-in-depth measures to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The presence of this weakness in Microsoft's product highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining secure software in complex enterprise environments.
Learn more: CWE-noinfo
Impact Analysis
CVE-2017-0001 carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH), reflecting its significant potential for harm across multiple impact dimensions.
Confidentiality (HIGH): An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains the ability to access sensitive data stored on or processed by the affected system. This includes configuration files, credentials, cryptographic keys, and potentially proprietary or regulated data. In environments where the compromised system handles personally identifiable information (PII) or financial records, the confidentiality breach could trigger regulatory compliance violations and significant reputational damage.
Integrity (HIGH): Successful exploitation permits the attacker to modify data, install backdoors, alter system configurations, or inject malicious code. This level of integrity compromise means the attacker can manipulate the system to serve their objectives, whether that involves deploying ransomware, establishing persistent access, or pivoting to other systems within the network. The trustworthiness of the affected system is completely undermined once integrity is compromised at this level.
Availability (HIGH): The vulnerability can be leveraged to completely disrupt the availability of the affected service or device. An attacker can force a system crash, trigger a reload, or render the device inoperable, causing significant operational disruption. For critical infrastructure components like network devices or security appliances, even brief availability outages can have cascading effects across the organization.
Scope (Unchanged): The scope is Unchanged, meaning the impact of the vulnerability is limited to the affected component itself. While the consequences within that component can be severe, the exploitation does not directly extend to other systems or security domains.
The EPSS score of 25.4% (96.13th percentile) indicates notable exploitation probability, reflecting the real-world interest threat actors have shown in this vulnerability.
Exploit Maturity
CVE-2017-0001 has confirmed active exploitation in the wild, as evidenced by its inclusion in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Active Exploitation: This vulnerability was added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2022-03-03, confirming that threat actors have actively exploited it in real-world attacks against organizations. The KEV listing represents a high-confidence indicator of exploitation, as CISA requires evidence of active exploitation before adding vulnerabilities to this catalog. Federal agencies were required to remediate this vulnerability by the deadline of 2022-03-24.
Ransomware Association: According to the CISA KEV catalog, this vulnerability has not been specifically linked to known ransomware campaigns at this time. However, the confirmed active exploitation means that threat actors are leveraging this vulnerability for other objectives such as espionage, data theft, or establishing persistent footholds within target networks.
Public Exploits: While specific public exploit code may not be widely cataloged in standard databases, the KEV listing confirms that exploitation is occurring in the wild. Threat actors may be using privately developed exploit tools or leveraging the vulnerability through commercial exploit frameworks.
EPSS Score: The EPSS score of 25.4% (96.13th percentile) indicates moderate-to-notable exploitation likelihood, consistent with observed real-world exploitation activity.
KEV Remediation Deadline: 2022-03-24. Federal agencies under BOD 22-01 were required to remediate by this date, and all organizations are strongly encouraged to treat this deadline as a benchmark for their own patch management timelines.
Remediation
- Apply the vendor-provided security update immediately. Follow the guidance in the official security advisory: Vendor Advisory. This is the primary remediation action specified in the CISA KEV catalog: "Apply updates per vendor instructions." Ensure all affected versions are upgraded to a patched release as soon as possible.
- Verify all affected product versions are addressed. The following products and versions are known to be vulnerable: microsoft windows 10 1507 (-); microsoft windows 10 1511 (-); microsoft windows 10 1607 (-); microsoft windows 7 (-); microsoft windows 8.1 (-). Conduct an inventory of your environment to identify all instances of these products and ensure each one receives the appropriate update.
- Enforce the principle of least privilege on affected systems. Ensure that user accounts have only the minimum permissions necessary for their function. This limits the impact of local exploitation attempts by reducing the privileges available to an attacker.
- Implement application whitelisting and endpoint detection. Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for exploitation attempts. Use application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized code execution on affected systems.
- Monitor affected systems for signs of prior compromise. Before or during patching, review system and security logs for indicators of exploitation. Given the confirmed KEV listing, there is a realistic possibility that unpatched systems may have already been targeted. Conduct forensic analysis if anomalies are detected.
- Establish ongoing patch management practices for this product. Ensure Microsoft security advisories are monitored continuously. Subscribe to vendor notification channels and integrate patch testing and deployment into your organization's vulnerability management lifecycle to prevent future exposure windows.
Technical Details
CVE-2017-0001 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Graphics Device Interface (GDI) that enables privilege escalation through exploitation of a weakness in the software processing logic. The vulnerability exists in the way Microsoft Graphics Device Interface (GDI) handles certain locally accessible operations, where insufficient validation or improper processing of local input or system operations allows an attacker to trigger the vulnerable condition.
The attack vector is Local (AV:L), meaning the attacker requires local access to the target system. The attack complexity is low complexity (AC:L), indicating that reliable exploitation does not require specialized conditions or preparation beyond having access to the attack vector. The vulnerability requires low-level user privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N).
The scope is Unchanged (S:U), indicating the impact is contained within the vulnerable component's own security scope. The combined impact ratings of HIGH/HIGH/HIGH for Confidentiality/Integrity/Availability reflect the high-severity nature of this flaw. The technical root cause involves improper handling within the affected component, resulting in a condition that threat actors can reliably trigger to achieve their exploitation objectives. Affected products include: microsoft windows 10 1507 (versions: -); microsoft windows 10 1511 (versions: -); microsoft windows 10 1607 (versions: -); microsoft windows 7 (versions: -).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2017-0001 actively exploited?
Yes, CVE-2017-0001 is confirmed to be actively exploited in the wild. It was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2022-03-03, which requires evidence of active exploitation before a vulnerability can be listed. While not specifically linked to ransomware campaigns at this time, the confirmed exploitation means threat actors are leveraging it for various malicious objectives. The EPSS score of 25.4% (96.13th percentile) further underscores the high likelihood of ongoing exploitation activity. Organizations should treat this as an urgent security issue requiring immediate attention.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-0001?
CVE-2017-0001 affects Microsoft Graphics Device Interface (GDI). Specifically, the following product versions have been identified as vulnerable: microsoft windows 10 1507 (versions: -); microsoft windows 10 1511 (versions: -); microsoft windows 10 1607 (versions: -); microsoft windows 7 (versions: -); microsoft windows 8.1 (versions: -); microsoft windows rt 8.1 (versions: -). Organizations should conduct a thorough inventory of their environments to identify all deployments of the affected software. Both production systems and development or staging environments should be included in this assessment, as any unpatched instance represents a potential entry point for attackers.
How do I fix CVE-2017-0001?
Apply the security update provided by Microsoft according to their official advisory. The vendor advisory is available at: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2017-0001. Ensure all instances of the affected product in your environment are updated to a patched version. While deploying patches, implement compensating controls such as network access restrictions and enhanced monitoring to reduce exploitation risk. After remediation, verify that the patch was successfully applied and review system logs for any indicators of prior compromise, as unpatched systems may have been targeted before the fix was deployed.
How severe is CVE-2017-0001?
CVE-2017-0001 is rated HIGH with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8. The vulnerability requires local access to exploit, with low attack complexity, and does not require user interaction. The impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability is all rated High, meaning successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise. Its inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog with a remediation deadline of 2022-03-24 confirms the real-world severity. The EPSS score of 25.4% places it in the 96.13th percentile for exploitation likelihood.
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