{"id":"CVE-2021-34481","published":"2021-07-16T20:19:54Z","modified":"2026-08-10T15:12:06Z","title":"Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 1507","tier":"core","eol":null,"affectedVersions":[{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 1507","versions":[">= 10.0.10240.0, < 10.0.10240.19022"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 1607","versions":[">= 10.0.14393.0, < 10.0.14393.4583"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 1809","versions":[">= 10.0.17763.0, < 10.0.17763.2114"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 1809","versions":[">= 10.0.0, < 10.0.17763.2114"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 1909","versions":[">= 10.0.0, < 10.0.18363.1734"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 2004","versions":[">= 10.0.0, < 10.0.19041.1165"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 20H2","versions":[">= 10.0.0, < 10.0.19042.1165"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 10 Version 21H1","versions":[">= 10.0.0, < 10.0.19043.1165"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 7","versions":[">= 6.1.0, < 6.1.7601.25685"]},{"vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Windows 7 Service Pack 1","versions":[">= 6.1.0, < 6.1.7601.25685"]}],"description":{"text":"A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.\nUPDATE August 10, 2021: Microsoft has completed the investigation and has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Please see the Security Updates table for the applicable update for your system. We recommend that you install these updates immediately. This security update changes the Point and Print default behavior; please see KB5005652.","provenance":"source","from":"CVE.org"},"summary":{"text":"The Windows Print Spooler service in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 improperly performs privileged file operations, creating a remote code execution flaw. An attacker with network access and low-privilege authenticated credentials, requiring no user interaction, could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges and thereby install programs, view, change or delete data, or create accounts with full user rights.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-23T07:15:33Z"},"cvss":{"score":8.8,"severity":"HIGH","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C","provenance":"source","from":"CVE.org CNA"},"epss":{"score":0.47717,"percentile":0.98846,"date":"2026-10-29","provenance":"source"},"kev":null,"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2022-11-30","exploitedFirstSeen":"2022-11-30","ransomware":true,"evidence":[{"url":"https://www.csoonline.com/article/574109/what-is-ransom-cartel-a-ransomware-gang-focused-on-reputational-damage.html","date":"2022-11-30"}],"evidenceTotal":1,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":5,"pulses":[{"name":"Spam “Broken Seal” DocuSign-themed Delivery w/Fileless Process Hollowing (Zeppelin/Bloat-A) by msudosos","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/69bf64eccb5d39a90a3c391e","created":"2026-03-22"},{"name":"Spam “Broken Seal” DocuSign-themed Delivery w/Fileless Process Hollowing (Zeppelin/Bloat-A) by msudosos","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/69bf64e1d5e06aa6207f78de","created":"2026-03-22"},{"name":"CVE Data","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/69929b597293fe5837b9c95c","created":"2026-02-16"},{"name":"“Broken Seal” DocuSign-themed Delivery with Fileless Process Hollowing (Zeppelin/Bloat-A)","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/698e93e1ab02db8c49e8c3ed","created":"2026-02-13"},{"name":"Thor Lite Scan - 10.7.15 - Ubuntu Scan on Archived Files","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/664cc3c1938ed0b9abf026a2","created":"2024-05-21"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[],"references":[{"url":"https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34481","tags":["vendor-advisory","patch"]},{"url":"https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-34481","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred"]}],"techniques":[],"reports":[{"id":"SRC-06a2fa5397da4000010a","title":"ICS/OT CYBERSECURITY","publisher":"hub.dragos.com","url":"https://hub.dragos.com/hubfs/333%20Year%20in%20Review/2021/2021%20ICS%20OT%20Cybersecurity%20Year%20In%20Review%20-%20Dragos%202021.pdf?hsLang=en","date":null,"mentions":[{"quote":"Adversaries can leverage PrintNightmare CVE-2021-34527, CVE-2021-34481, and","start":95816,"end":95891},{"quote":"Spooler Service (CVE-2021-34481) that could also allow an adversary to perform remote","start":98567,"end":98652}]}],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2021-21136","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2021-21136","exploited":false,"exploitedSince":null,"provenance":"source"},"exploits":[],"exploitSources":{"pocGithub":{"count":1,"skipped":0,"earliest":"2021-08-11","earliestUrl":"https://github.com/vpn28/CVE-2021-34481","repos":[{"name":"vpn28/CVE-2021-34481","url":"https://github.com/vpn28/CVE-2021-34481","stars":2,"created":"2021-08-11"}]},"first":{"date":"2021-08-11","source":"PoC-in-GitHub","url":"https://github.com/vpn28/CVE-2021-34481"},"provenance":"source"},"exploitRefs":[],"flow":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2021-07-16","kind":"published","label":"Published (CVE.org)","url":"https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-34481","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2021-08-11","kind":"exploit-public","label":"First public exploit: PoC-in-GitHub","url":"https://github.com/vpn28/CVE-2021-34481","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2022-11-30","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://www.csoonline.com/article/574109/what-is-ransom-cartel-a-ransomware-gang-focused-on-reputational-damage.html","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":26,"firstExploitFrom":"PoC-in-GitHub","daysToKev":null},"priority":{"score":81.6,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 1429 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":10.0,"detail":"VulnCheck KEV: Known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":19.77,"detail":"percentile 0.9885"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":3.87,"detail":"1 report"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":5.0,"detail":"1 PoC-in-GitHub repo"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":1.77,"detail":"5 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":6.16,"detail":"base score 8.8"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":0.0,"detail":"supported or unknown"}]}}