CVE-2021-1680
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2021-1680 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector. It allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges by exploiting improper privilege management. This affects Windows systems where the Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector service is running.
💻 Affected Systems
- Microsoft Windows
📦 What is this software?
Visual Studio 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 10 by Microsoft
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with SYSTEM privileges, enabling installation of malware, data theft, and lateral movement across the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation from a standard user account to SYSTEM privileges, allowing attackers to bypass security controls and maintain persistence.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper access controls and monitoring are in place, with attackers requiring initial access to a standard user account.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated user access. Public proof-of-concept code exists, making exploitation relatively straightforward for attackers with initial access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Security updates released in January 2021 (KB4598242, KB4598229, etc.)
Vendor Advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1680
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Apply the January 2021 Windows security updates. 2. For Windows 10, install KB4598242 (1909/2004/20H2) or KB4598229 (1809). 3. For Windows Server, install corresponding security updates. 4. Restart the system to complete installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector Service
windowsDisables the vulnerable service to prevent exploitation
sc config diagtrack start= disabled
sc stop diagtrack
Restrict Service Permissions
windowsModify service permissions to prevent unauthorized access
sc sdset diagtrack D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;IU)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;SU)
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable the Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector service using administrative tools
- Implement strict access controls and monitor for privilege escalation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if the system is running an affected Windows version and if the diagtrack service is running: sc query diagtrackCheck Version:
winver or systeminfo | findstr "OS Name OS Version"Verify Fix Applied:
Verify the January 2021 security updates are installed: wmic qfe list | findstr "4598242 4598229"📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Event ID 4688 with process creation from diagtrack.exe with elevated privileges
- Unexpected service starts or privilege escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from systems after local privilege escalation
SIEM Query:
EventID=4688 AND (NewProcessName="*diagtrack*" OR ParentProcessName="*diagtrack*") AND IntegrityLevel="System"