CVE-2022-21999
HIGHCISA KEVEPSS 99th pctlDescription
Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 99% of all known CVEs.
Microsoft Windows Print Spooler Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft Windows Print Spooler contains an unspecified vulnerability which can allow for privilege escalation.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Remediation due: 2022-04-15
Associated with ransomware campaigns
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2024-23897 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2023-32315 | High | 8.6 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2022-29464 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | - |
| CVE-2021-26086 | Medium | 5.3 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2021-22005 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2020-5902 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2022-21999?
Published advisories record a fix for 24 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2022-21999 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2022-21999 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation has been observed in the wild. CISA has also linked it to known ransomware campaigns. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 2022-04-15. Treat it as a priority whatever its CVSS score says.
How severe is CVE-2022-21999?
CVE-2022-21999 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.8, rated high. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2022-21999 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for Windows 10 (Windows), Windows 10 Version 1607 (Windows), Windows 10 Version 1809 (Windows), Windows 10 Version 1909 (Windows), and 20 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2025-10-30.