CVE-2024-21338

Microsoft Windows Kernel contains an exposed IOCTL with insufficient access control vulnerability within the IOCTL (input and output control)…

Browse: All 2024 CVEs · All vendors

CVSS score
7.8 High
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA KEV
Yes — actively exploited (added 2024-03-04, remediation due 2024-03-25)
Ransomware
Known ransomware campaign use
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-822
Published
2024-02-13
Last modified
2026-08-10
NVD status
Analyzed

Description

Microsoft Windows Kernel contains an exposed IOCTL with insufficient access control vulnerability within the IOCTL (input and output control) dispatcher in appid.sys that allows a local attacker to achieve privilege escalation.

Affected products

Affected ranges per NVD CPE data; confirm exact versions in the vendor advisory.

Required action (CISA)

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Federal remediation deadline: 2024-03-25.

How to prioritize this

This vulnerability is on the CISA KEV list, meaning it is being actively exploited — treat it as urgent regardless of the raw CVSS number. Use the live CVE lookup for the latest NVD data, and the CVSS 3.1 calculator to model your own environmental score.

References

FAQ

Is CVE-2024-21338 actively exploited?

Yes. CISA added CVE-2024-21338 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2024-03-04, with a federal remediation deadline of 2024-03-25. A KEV listing means real-world exploitation is confirmed, so patching this should be prioritized above many higher-CVSS bugs that aren't being exploited.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-21338?

CVE-2024-21338 has a CVSS base score of 7.8 (High). Its vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Related vulnerabilities

Data source: NVD & CISA KEV. Shown as-is; nothing added. Last generated from NVD data — re-check the live tool for updates.