CVE DatabaseCVE-2019-1132

Updated 2026-06-17한국어 권고문 →

CVE-2019-11327.8/HIGHCISA KEV

Windows Win32k Kernel Memory Corruption Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (CVE-2019-1132) Analysis & Mitigation Guide

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Affected Vendors

microsoft

Affected Components

windows, win32k

Published Date

2019-07-15

CVSS v3.1

7.8

HIGH

EPSS (30d)

9.9%

FIRST.org

CISA KEV

Exploited

NVD Source ↗

Executive & SecOps Summary

SECOPS ASSESSMENT

Affected Scope

Legacy Windows operating systems including Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2 utilizing the Win32k component

Impact

Local attackers can execute arbitrary code in kernel mode (SYSTEM privileges), completely compromising the host and bypassing security controls

Mitigation

Immediately apply the official Microsoft cumulative security updates or migrate legacy systems to currently supported Windows versions

Affected Products & Version Scope

Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and early versions of Windows 10 (refer to Microsoft Advisory for specific build details)

Remediation & Live Workaround Commands

PATCH & WORKAROUND

1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands

The primary remediation is to apply the official Microsoft security updates. Use the following PowerShell commands to force Windows Update to retrieve and install the latest patches.

powershell

# Install and run Windows Update module to apply missing security patches
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force -Verbose
Get-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -Install -AutoReboot

2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration

If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict local interactive logon rights and enforce strict application whitelisting (e.g., AppLocker) to prevent untrusted binaries from executing on the system.

powershell

# Disable unnecessary local accounts to minimize local attack surface
Disable-LocalUser -Name 'Guest'

3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands

Verify the patch level by checking the file version of the vulnerable win32k.sys driver.

powershell

# Check the file version of win32k.sys to verify patch status
$sysPath = '${env:SystemRoot}\System32\win32k.sys'
if (Test-Path $sysPath) {
    $fileVersion = (Get-Item $sysPath).VersionInfo.FileVersion
    Write-Host 'Current win32k.sys Version:' $fileVersion
    # Compare this version against the July 2019 release baseline for your OS version.
}

Interactive SecOps Remediation Checklist

0/4 (0%)

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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics

1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause

This vulnerability is a memory corruption issue (specifically Use-After-Free or Null Pointer Dereference) within the Windows kernel-mode driver, Win32k (win32k.sys). It occurs when the Win32k component fails to properly handle and validate objects in memory, such as window or menu objects, during state transitions.

2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario

In-the-wild exploitation (notably by the Buhtrap APT group) involved chaining this LPE vulnerability with browser exploits to escape sandboxes. An attacker running with low privileges triggers a specific sequence of system calls to free a target object in the kernel, then reclaims the memory space with a crafted malicious object. When the kernel subsequently references the freed object, it executes attacker-controlled function pointers, leading to arbitrary code execution with SYSTEM privileges.

3. Infrastructure & Business Impact

As a CISA KEV-listed vulnerability, this flaw poses a severe threat to enterprise environments. Successful exploitation allows attackers to disable endpoint security agents (AV/EDR), dump credentials from memory (e.g., LSASS), and establish a foothold for lateral movement across the internal network, potentially leading to ransomware deployment or data exfiltration.

Official Vendor Advisories & References

NVD Original English Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1132

Source: secure@microsoft.com · Patch, Vendor Advisory

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1132

Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 · Patch, Vendor Advisory

https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-1132

Source: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 · US Government Resource

Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2019-1132)

FAQ

Q1. How critical is CVE-2019-1132 and is it actively exploited in the wild?

CVE-2019-1132 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 9.9%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.

Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2019-1132?

Primary impacted vendors include microsoft across windows, win32k. Scope summary: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and early versions of Windows 10 (refer to Microsoft Advisory for specific build details)

Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2019-1132 before patching?

[Mitigation] Immediately apply the official Microsoft cumulative security updates or migrate legacy systems to currently supported Windows versions Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.

SECOPS WORKBENCH INTEGRATION