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Full vulnerability report · 2015
CVE-2015-1769High confidence

Microsoft Windows Mount Manager Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Microsoft · Windows

6.6MediumCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Patch now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-06-15 as the remediation due date.

Patch available
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityMediumOperational priority:Critical, raised 2 bands.upgradedsince 25 May 2022

Evidence used

  • CISA confirms exploitation in the wild.
  • Exploitation requires an existing local or physical foothold with privileges.
  • EPSS is 4.08% for the current model date.

Compensating controls

  • Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
  • Restrict local access and enforce least privilege on affected hosts.
  • Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.

Verification

  1. Confirm that the asset runs Microsoft Windows and falls inside the recorded affected range.
  2. Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
  3. Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
  4. Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Mitigation target: Within 3 daysRemediation target: Within 90 days

This automated reassessment organises public evidence. It does not know asset exposure, business impact or control effectiveness and does not replace CVSS or a human risk decision.

Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2015-1899

CISA KEV mirrored by ENISA

Mount Manager in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT Gold and 8.1, and Windows 10 mishandles symlinks, which allows physically proximate attackers to execute arbitrary code by connecting a crafted USB device, aka "Mount Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Recorded by ENISA since 25 May 2022. Evidence sources: cisa_kev.
ENISA score
6.6 · CVSS 3.1
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionPatch now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-06-15 as the remediation due date.

Patch available
01

What, why and how

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when the Windows Mount Manager component improperly processes symbolic links.

What

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when the Windows Mount Manager component improperly processes symbolic links.

Why

The current structured CVE record identifies a security weakness, but the root cause requires confirmation in the linked vendor material.

How

An attacker operating through physical access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may gain additional privileges.

What

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when the Windows Mount Manager component improperly processes symbolic links.

Why

The current structured CVE record identifies a security weakness, but the root cause requires confirmation in the linked vendor material.

How

An attacker operating through physical access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may gain additional privileges.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
Confirmed in the wild

CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2022-05-25.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path
physical access → vulnerable operation → gain additional privileges
Attack surface
Physical
Privileges required
Low: a basic authenticated account is required
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-264 ↗

CWE-264. Open the MITRE definition for the exact weakness description.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVPhysicalAttack vector: The attacker needs physical access to the vulnerable system.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
Privilege escalationCWE-264CISA KEV
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2015-1899Known-exploited evidence recorded

Mount Manager in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT Gold and 8.1, and Windows 10 mishandles symlinks, which allows physically proximate attackers to execute arbitrary code by connecting a crafted USB device, aka "Mount Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

Official EUVD record ↗
CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2015-AVI-339Vulnérabilité dans le gestionnaire de montage de périphériques de Microsoft Windows

Une vulnérabilité a été corrigée dans le gestionnaire de montage de périphériques de Microsoft Windows . Elle permet à un attaquant de provoquer une élévation de privilèges.

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2015-004121複数の Microsoft Windows 製品のマウント マネージャーにおける任意のコードを実行される脆弱性

複数の Microsoft Windows 製品のマウント マネージャーには、任意のコードを実行される脆弱性が存在します。 マイクロソフトセキュリティ情報には、この脆弱性は「マウント マネージャーの特権の昇格の脆弱性」と記載されています。

Official advisory ↗
KISA KrCERT/CC · Korean · KNVD-4549MS 8월 보안위협에 따른 정기 보안 업데이트 권고

-084] XML CORE 서비스 취약점으로 인한 정보 유출 문제 ##### □ 영향 o 공격자가 영향 받는 시스템의 정보를 공개 ##### □ 설명 o 사용자가 특수하게 제작된 링크를 클릭하거나 SSL 사용을 허용하는 경우, 정보가 유출될 수 있는 취약점이 존재 o 관련취약점 : - 다중 MSXML 정보 유출 취약점? (CVE-2015-2434, 2471) - MSXML 정보 유출 취약점? (CVE-2015-2440) o 영향 : 정보 유출 o 중요도 : 중요 ##### □ 해당시스템 o 참조사이트 참고 - 한글 : https://technet.microsoft.com/ko-kr/library/security/MS15-084 - 영문 : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/MS15-084 ##### □ 해결책 o 해당 시스템에 대한 마이크로소프트사의 취약점 패치 적용 [MS15-085] Mount Manager 취약점으로 인한 권한 상승 문제 ##### □ 영향 o 공격자가 영향 받는 시스템에 권한 상승 ##### □ 설명 o 공격자가 악성 USB 장치를 시스템에 사용할 경우, 권한 상승 문제가 발생할 수 있는 취약점 o 관련취약점 : - Mount Manager 권한상승 취약점 ? (CVE-2015-1769) o 영향 : 권한 상승 o 중요도 : 중요 ##### □ 해당시스템 o 참조사이트 참고 - 한글 : https://technet.microsoft.com/ko-kr/library/security/MS15-085 - 영문 : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/MS15-085 ##### □ 해결책 o 해당 시스템에 대한 마이크로소프트사의 취약점 패치 적용 [MS15-086] System Center Operation Manager 취약점으로 인한 권한 상승 문제 ##### □ 영향 o 공격자가 영향 받는 시스템에 권한 상승 ##### □ 설명 o 사용자가 특수 제작된 URL을 경유한 웹사이트를 방문할 때, 권한 상승 문제가 발생할 수 있는 취약점 o 관련취약점 : - System Center Operations Manager 웹 콘손 XSS취약점 ? (CVE-2015-2420) o 영향 : 권한 상승 o 중요도 : 중요 ##### □ 해당시스템 o 참조사이트 참고 - 한글 : https://technet.microsoft.com/ko-kr/library/security/MS15-086 - 영문 : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/securi

Official advisory ↗
03

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status
?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Patch available
Affected
n/a
Fixed
An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
Action
Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. Limit untrusted access and use least privilege until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 15 Aug 2015 · Last source change 21 Oct 2025, 23:55 UTC · CWE-264

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCISA ADP
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-09-01
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2015-1899
Product sourceCISA KEV
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceNIST NVD
NVD statusNVD enriched

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗
  1. ENISA known-exploited stateENISA EUVD now records this CVE in its known-exploited dataset.
    Before
    not listed in ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset
    After
    listed in ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset (EUVD-2015-1899)
    ENISA EUVD ↗
  2. ENISA EUVD mappingEUVD-2015-1899 was added to the official ENISA EUVD mapping for this CVE.
    Before
    not recorded
    After
    {"euvdId":"EUVD-2015-1899"}
    ENISA EUVD ↗
  3. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    n/a: n/a · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
    After
    n/a · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
    CISA KEV ↗
  4. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    n/a · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
    After
    n/a: n/a · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
    CNA ↗
  5. Vendor guidanceAuthoritative vendor guidance changed: added vendor advisory: blogs.technet.com/defending-against-cve-2015-1769-a-logical-issue-exploited-via-a-malicious-usb-stick.aspx.
    Before
    patch: docs.microsoft.com/ms15-085 · remediation: docs.microsoft.com/ms15-085
    After
    patch: docs.microsoft.com/ms15-085 · remediation: docs.microsoft.com/ms15-085 · vendor advisory: blogs.technet.com/defending-against-cve-2015-1769-a-logical-issue-exploited-via-a-malicious-usb-stick.aspx
    docs.microsoft.com ↗
  6. Catalogue recordCVE added to the BlackTree catalogue.
    CNA ↗
Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
CVE published
Added to CISA KEV
Fixed release or patch reference recorded
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2015-1899↗CISA KEV record↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Patch or update reference↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗NVD record↗
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2015-1769 · cve.blacktree.nl