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CVE-2021-34527

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CVE-2021-34527

Published: Jul 2, 2021

Modified: Jan 12, 2026

PUBLISHED

CVSS v3.1

8.8

HIGH

Description

<p>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.</p> <p>UPDATE July 7, 2021: The security update for Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10, Version 1607 have been released. Please see the Security Updates table for the applicable update for your system. We recommend that you install these updates immediately. If you are unable to install these updates, see the FAQ and Workaround sections in this CVE for information on how to help protect your system from this vulnerability.</p> <p>In addition to installing the updates, in order to secure your system, you must confirm that the following registry settings are set to 0 (zero) or are not defined (<strong>Note</strong>: These registry keys do not exist by default, and therefore are already at the secure setting.), also that your Group Policy setting are correct (see FAQ):</p> <ul> <li>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint</li> <li>NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting)</li> <li>UpdatePromptSettings = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Having NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall set to 1 makes your system vulnerable by design.</strong></p> <p>UPDATE July 6, 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. If you are unable to install these updates, see the FAQ and Workaround sections in this CVE for information on how to help protect your system from this vulnerability. See also <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/topic/31b91c02-05bc-4ada-a7ea-183b129578a7">KB5005010: Restricting installation of new printer drivers after applying the July 6, 2021 updates</a>.</p> <p>Note that the security updates released on and after July 6, 2021 contain protections for CVE-2021-1675 and the additional remote code execution exploit in the Windows Print Spooler service known as “PrintNightmare”, documented in CVE-2021-34527.</p>

VendorProductVersions

Microsoft

Windows 10 Version 1809

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.17763.2029

Microsoft

Windows Server 2019

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.17763.2029

Microsoft

Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.17763.2029

Microsoft

Windows Server 2022

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.20348.230

Microsoft

Windows 10 Version 20H2

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.19042.1083

Microsoft

Windows Server version 20H2

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.19042.1083

Microsoft

Windows 11 version 21H2

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.22000.318

Microsoft

Windows 10 Version 21H2

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.19044.1415

Microsoft

Windows 11 version 22H2

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.22621.674

Microsoft

Windows 10 Version 22H2

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.19045.2251

Microsoft

Windows 10 Version 1507

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.10240.18969

Microsoft

Windows 10 Version 1607

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.14393.4470

Microsoft

Windows Server 2016

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.14393.4470

Microsoft

Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)

affected
10.0.0 - < 10.0.14393.4470

Microsoft

Windows 8.1

affected
6.3.0 - < 6.3.9600.20046

Microsoft

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2

affected
6.0.0 - < 6.0.6003.21138

Microsoft

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)

affected
6.0.0 - < 6.0.6003.21138

Microsoft

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2

affected
6.0.0 - < 6.0.6003.21138

Microsoft

Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1

affected
6.1.0 - < 6.1.7601.25633

Microsoft

Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)

affected
6.0.0 - < 6.1.7601.25633

Microsoft

Windows Server 2012

affected
6.2.0 - < 6.2.9200.23383

Microsoft

Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)

affected
6.2.0 - < 6.2.9200.23383

Microsoft

Windows Server 2012 R2

affected
6.3.0 - < 6.3.9600.20046

Microsoft

Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)

affected
6.3.0 - < 6.3.9600.20046

CVSS v3.1 Details

CVSS v3.1 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

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

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