CVE-2022-41033
Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2022-41033 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service that allows an authenticated local attacker to gain SYSTEM-level privileges. The vulnerability exists due to an unspecified flaw in the COM+ Event System Service's handling of requests, enabling a low-privileged user to execute code with the highest system privileges. CISA added CVE-2022-41033 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on October 11, 2022. While the EPSS score of 0.85% (74.75th percentile) indicates moderate exploitation probability, the confirmed in-the-wild exploitation makes immediate patching essential.
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 | < 10.0.10240.19507 |
| microsoft | windows 10 1607 | < 10.0.14393.5427 |
| microsoft | windows 10 1809 | < 10.0.17763.3532 |
| microsoft | windows 10 20h2 | < 10.0.19042.2130 |
| microsoft | windows 10 21h1 | < 10.0.19043.2130 |
| microsoft | windows 10 21h2 | < 10.0.19044.2130 |
| microsoft | windows 11 21h2 | < 10.0.22000.1098 |
| microsoft | windows 11 22h2 | < 10.0.22621.674 |
| 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 | < 10.0.14393.5427 |
| microsoft | windows server 2019 | < 10.0.17763.3532 |
| microsoft | windows server 2022 | < 10.0.20348.1129 |
References
- https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2022-41033(Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2022-41033(Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-41033(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management
CVE-2022-41033 exploits an improper privilege management weakness in the Windows COM+ Event System Service. The service fails to properly validate privilege boundaries, allowing an authenticated user with low privileges to escalate to SYSTEM-level access through the COM+ Event System Service interface.
Learn more: CWE-269 — Improper Privilege Management
Impact Analysis
CVE-2022-41033 allows local privilege escalation from a low-privileged authenticated user to SYSTEM-level access on Windows systems. The attack requires local access and low privileges but has low complexity and requires no user interaction. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all highly impacted once SYSTEM privileges are obtained, as the attacker gains unrestricted access to all system resources, can modify any file or registry entry, install persistent backdoors, and disable security software. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Windows versions and is particularly dangerous when chained with initial access vulnerabilities such as phishing or remote code execution flaws.
Exploit Maturity
CISA has confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2022-41033 by adding it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on October 11, 2022, with a remediation deadline of November 1, 2022. The EPSS score of 0.85% (74.75th percentile) suggests moderate automated exploitation, but the confirmed in-the-wild usage indicates targeted exploitation by threat actors. The ransomware association is classified as unknown. This vulnerability is commonly used as a post-exploitation privilege escalation step after initial access is achieved through other means.
Remediation
- Apply Microsoft security updates: Install the October 2022 Patch Tuesday updates that address CVE-2022-41033 across all affected Windows versions.
- Prioritize patching based on exposure: Focus on systems where untrusted users have local access, such as terminal servers, shared workstations, and jump servers.
- Implement least privilege: Ensure users operate with the minimum required privileges and review local group memberships on critical systems.
- Monitor for privilege escalation: Enable advanced audit logging for process creation events and monitor for processes launched by low-privileged users running as SYSTEM.
- Deploy endpoint detection: Ensure EDR solutions are deployed and configured to detect COM+ Event System Service exploitation attempts and anomalous privilege escalation patterns.
Technical Details
CVE-2022-41033 targets the Windows COM+ Event System Service, which is a core Windows component that provides automatic distribution of events to subscribing COM components. The service runs with SYSTEM privileges and is present on all Windows installations. The vulnerability exists due to an unspecified flaw in how the service handles certain requests, allowing an authenticated user with low-level privileges to trigger code execution in the context of the SYSTEM account. The local attack vector means the attacker must already have some level of access to the target system, but the low attack complexity indicates that exploitation is straightforward once local access is established. The vulnerability affects Windows versions from Windows 7 through Windows 11 and corresponding Server editions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-41033 being actively exploited?
Yes, CVE-2022-41033 is being actively exploited. CISA added it to the KEV catalog on October 11, 2022. While the EPSS score of 0.85% indicates moderate automated exploitation probability, the confirmed in-the-wild usage makes it a priority for patching.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-41033?
CVE-2022-41033 affects the Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service across a wide range of Windows versions, including Windows 7, 8.1, 10, 11, and corresponding Windows Server editions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-41033?
Apply the October 2022 Microsoft security updates that address this vulnerability. Prioritize patching on systems where multiple users have local access. See the Remediation section for detailed steps.
How severe is CVE-2022-41033?
CVE-2022-41033 is a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability that allows local attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges on Windows systems. While the EPSS score is moderate at 0.85%, the confirmed active exploitation makes it a significant threat.
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