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Windows Vista CVE-2015-2546

HIGH
Buffer Overflow (CWE-119)
2015-09-09 secure@microsoft.com
8.2
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: microsoft
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Bounds checking, buffer size validation
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 8.2 (HIGH). Attack characteristics: local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, user interaction required. CISA has confirmed active exploitation in the wild. EPSS exploitation probability: 39.81%.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A local attacker with access to the system could corrupt memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: In CISA KEV with patch available.
Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV) Patch available 39.8% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

The kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT Gold and 8.1, and Windows. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.2), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. Actively exploited in the wild (cisa kev) and EPSS exploitation probability 39.8%.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Use memory-safe languages or bounds-checking. Enable ASLR, DEP/NX, stack canaries. Use safe string functions.

Affects your stack

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Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as Buffer Overflow (CWE-119), which allows attackers to corrupt memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application. The kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT Gold and 8.1, and Windows 10 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Memory Corruption Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-2511, CVE-2015-2517, and CVE-2015-2518. Affected products include: Microsoft Windows 10 1507, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Rt.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 8.2 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft) · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Added to CISA KEV
Apr 21, 2026 - 15:31 CISA
CVE Published
Sep 09, 2015 - 00:59 cve.org
HIGH 8.2

DescriptionCVE.org

The kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT Gold and 8.1, and Windows 10 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Memory Corruption Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-2511, CVE-2015-2517, and CVE-2015-2518.

Threat Intelligence Overview

Threat Score
4.3/10
Composite threat intelligence
EPSS Score
39.8%
Top 3% exploitable
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV Yes
Public POC No
EPSS 39.8%
Patch available Yes
Active threat Yes
Deciding rule
In CISA KEV with patch available
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Out-of-Cycle
Exploitation· derived
Active
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
High

Priority Score

131
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: +50
EPSS: +40
CVSS: +41
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1507:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_7:-:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_8:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_rt:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_rt_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:-:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:r2:sp1:*:*:*:*:itanium:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:r2:sp1:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:r2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_vista:-:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
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