CVE-2013-3660
The EPATHOBJ::pprFlattenRec function in win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003…
- 7.8HighCVSS base score
- 39.3%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 1.4% of all CVEs
- YesKnown exploitedin CISA's KEV since 28 Mar 2022
- 4Public exploitsMetasploit, Nuclei and Exploit-DB
Description
The EPATHOBJ::pprFlattenRec function in win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012 does not properly initialize a pointer for the next object in a certain list, which allows local users to obtain write access to the PATHRECORD chain, and consequently gain privileges, by triggering excessive consumption of paged memory and then making many FlattenPath function calls, aka "Win32k Read AV Vulnerability."
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability.
- Added
- 28 Mar 2022
- Fix due (US federal)
- 18 Apr 2022
- Used by ransomware
- Not known
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
ENISA's EU Vulnerability Database lists it as exploited, from CISA's KEV, since 28 Mar 2022.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. The public collections list a Metasploit module and 3 Exploit-DB entries for it. A reference of the record is tagged as an exploit. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: it is being exploited.
Show the exploits5
Metasploit modules1 module
- Windows EPATHOBJ::pprFlattenRec Local Privilege Escalation (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/windows/local/ppr_flatten_recRank averagedisclosed 15 May 2013
Exploit-DB3 entries
- Microsoft Windows - 'EPATHOBJ::pprFlattenRec' Local Privilege Escalation (Metasploit) (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 26554local, windowspublished 2 Jul 2013Verified
- Microsoft Windows NT/2000/2003/2008/XP/Vista/7/8 - 'EPATHOBJ' Local Ring (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 25912local, windowspublished 3 Jun 2013Verified
- Microsoft Windows - Win32k!EPATHOBJ::pprFlattenRec Uninitialized Next Pointer Testcase (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 25611dos, windowspublished 21 May 2013Verified
References tagged exploit1 reference
- 25611 (opens in a new tab)exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBx_transferred
Modules, templates and exploits as listed by the Metasploit Framework (BSD-3-Clause), ProjectDiscovery's Nuclei templates (MIT) and the Exploit Database (GPLv2), read once a day. Where the data comes from
Timeline
ID reserved
By mitre
Published
- 9 years later
· 9 years later
Added to CISA KEV
Known exploited in the wild
- 4 years later
· 4 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 39.3% · top 1.4% of all CVEs (11 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.8.
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
References
15
- 20130517 Re: exploitation ideas under memory pressure (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISCx_transferred
- 25611 (opens in a new tab)exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBx_transferred
- 20130517 exploitation ideas under memory pressure (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISCx_transferred
- 53435 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
- 93539 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_OSVDBx_transferred
- http://twitter.com/taviso/statuses/309157606247768064 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9239477 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/23/4358400/google-engineer-bashes-microsoft-discloses-windows-flaw (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:17360 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entrysignaturex_refsource_OVALx_transferred
- http://www.reddit.com/r/netsec/comments/1eqh66/0day_windows_kernel_epathobj_vulnerability/ (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 20130603 Re: exploitation ideas under memory pressure (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISCx_transferred
- TA13-190A (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_CERTx_transferred
- MS13-053 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_MSx_transferred
- http://twitter.com/taviso/statuses/335557286657400832 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2013-3660 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2013-3593 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2013-3660)Record last updated .