{"id":"CVE-2021-31979","title":"Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability","summary":"Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability","severity":"high","cvss":7.8,"cvssVector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","cwe":["CWE-119","CWE-119"],"vendor":"microsoft","product":"windows_10_1507","affected":["windows_10_1507 < 10.0.10240.19003","windows_10_1607 < 10.0.14393.4530","windows_10_1809 < 10.0.17763.2061","windows_10_1909 < 10.0.18363.1679","windows_10_2004 < 10.0.19041.1110","windows_10_20h2 < 10.0.19042.1110","windows_10_21h1 < 10.0.19043.1110","windows_7","windows_8.1","windows_rt_8.1","windows_server_2004 < 10.0.19041.1110","windows_server_2008","windows_server_2008 = r2","windows_server_2012","windows_server_2012 = r2","windows_server_2016 < 10.0.14393.4530","windows_server_2019 < 10.0.17763.2061","windows_server_20h2 < 10.0.19042.1110"],"patched":["windows_10_1507 10.0.10240.19003","windows_10_1607 10.0.14393.4530","windows_10_1809 10.0.17763.2061","windows_10_1909 10.0.18363.1679","windows_10_2004 10.0.19041.1110","windows_10_20h2 10.0.19042.1110","windows_10_21h1 10.0.19043.1110","windows_server_2004 10.0.19041.1110","windows_server_2016 10.0.14393.4530","windows_server_2019 10.0.17763.2061","windows_server_20h2 10.0.19042.1110"],"published":"2021-07-14","updated":"2026-08-10","source":"NVD","sourceUrl":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-31979","references":[{"url":"https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-31979","label":"secure@microsoft.com"},{"url":"https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31979","label":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-31979","label":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0"}],"tags":["nvd","kev","in-the-wild"],"epss":0.0454,"epssPercentile":0.91197,"kev":true,"kevDateAdded":"2021-11-03","kevDueDate":"2021-11-17","kevRansomware":false,"exploited":true,"zeroDay":true,"ingestedAt":"2026-08-10T16:41:14.500Z","slug":"CVE-2021-31979","body":"## Overview\n\nWindows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability\n\n## Affected\n\n- `windows_10_1507 < 10.0.10240.19003`\n- `windows_10_1607 < 10.0.14393.4530`\n- `windows_10_1809 < 10.0.17763.2061`\n- `windows_10_1909 < 10.0.18363.1679`\n- `windows_10_2004 < 10.0.19041.1110`\n- `windows_10_20h2 < 10.0.19042.1110`\n- `windows_10_21h1 < 10.0.19043.1110`\n- `windows_7`\n- `windows_8.1`\n- `windows_rt_8.1`\n- `windows_server_2004 < 10.0.19041.1110`\n- `windows_server_2008`\n- `windows_server_2008 = r2`\n- `windows_server_2012`\n- `windows_server_2012 = r2`\n- `windows_server_2016 < 10.0.14393.4530`\n- `windows_server_2019 < 10.0.17763.2061`\n- `windows_server_20h2 < 10.0.19042.1110`\n\n## Remediation\n\nUpgrade past the affected range:\n\n- `windows_10_1507 10.0.10240.19003`\n- `windows_10_1607 10.0.14393.4530`\n- `windows_10_1809 10.0.17763.2061`\n- `windows_10_1909 10.0.18363.1679`\n- `windows_10_2004 10.0.19041.1110`\n- `windows_10_20h2 10.0.19042.1110`\n- `windows_10_21h1 10.0.19043.1110`\n- `windows_server_2004 10.0.19041.1110`\n- `windows_server_2016 10.0.14393.4530`\n- `windows_server_2019 10.0.17763.2061`\n- `windows_server_20h2 10.0.19042.1110`","depth":"abyssal","depthScore":69,"depthScoreParts":{"impact":42.9,"likelihood":0.9,"exploitation":25,"ransomware":0},"changes":[]}