CVE-2019-0707
📋 TL;DR
This is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows NDIS driver where improper buffer length checking allows memory corruption. An attacker with local access can run a specially crafted application to gain elevated SYSTEM privileges. All Windows systems with vulnerable NDIS versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Microsoft Windows
📦 What is this software?
Windows 10 by Microsoft
Windows 10 by Microsoft
Windows 10 by Microsoft
Windows 10 by Microsoft
Windows 10 by Microsoft
Windows 10 by Microsoft
Windows 10 by Microsoft
Windows 8.1 by Microsoft
Windows Rt 8.1 by Microsoft
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attacker gains full SYSTEM privileges, enabling complete system compromise, persistence installation, credential theft, and lateral movement.
Likely Case
Local attacker elevates from standard user to SYSTEM privileges to install malware, disable security controls, or access protected resources.
If Mitigated
With proper patch management and least privilege principles, impact is limited to isolated systems with no administrative access for attackers.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local execution; exploit code has been published and integrated into penetration testing frameworks.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Windows 10 Version 1903 (May 2019 Update) and later
Vendor Advisory: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-0707
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Apply Windows Update KB4497936 for Windows 10 Version 1809 or KB4497935 for Windows Server 2019. 2. Alternatively, upgrade to Windows 10 Version 1903 or later. 3. Restart system after patch installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict local user privileges
windowsImplement least privilege by removing local administrator rights from standard users
Application control policies
windowsUse AppLocker or Windows Defender Application Control to block unauthorized applications
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict endpoint detection and response (EDR) to detect privilege escalation attempts
- Segment networks to limit lateral movement if systems are compromised
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Windows version and build number; vulnerable if Windows 10 build < 18362 or Windows Server 2019 build < 17763Check Version:
winver or systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version"Verify Fix Applied:
Verify Windows build number is 18362 or higher for Windows 10, or 17763.xxx with May 2019 updates applied📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Event ID 4688 with suspicious process creation, especially from non-admin users creating SYSTEM processes
- Unexpected privilege escalation events in security logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from previously low-privilege accounts
- Lateral movement attempts from compromised systems
SIEM Query:
EventID=4688 AND NewProcessName="*" AND SubjectUserName!="SYSTEM" AND TokenElevationType="%%1938"