Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Conclusion & alert: CVE-2021-33771 is rated Critical Active Threat (88.4/100): CVSS High severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 6.20%, 93th percentile). Core evidence: CISA KEV confirms active exploitation (added 2021-11-03) affecting Microsoft / Windows. Unauthenticated remote administrative access may be possible. Mandatory action: The CISA remediation deadline has passed—treat as an emergency patch priority.
Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.
: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability · CISA KEV detail
: 2021-11-03
: 2021-11-17
: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).
| # | Date | Old EPSS score | New EPSS score | Delta (New - Old) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026-06-15 | 6.44% | 6.20% | -0.24% |
| 2 | 2026-06-04 | 6.52% | 6.44% | -0.08% |
| 3 | 2026-05-22 | — | 6.52% | — |
Full EPSS history (50 records total)
CVSS metrics for this CVE.
| Base score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability | Impact | Score source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | 3.1 | HIGH |
|
1.8 | 5.9 | [email protected] |
| 7.8 | 3.1 | HIGH |
|
1.8 | 5.9 | [email protected] |
| 7.2 | 2.0 | HIGH |
|
3.9 | 10.0 | [email protected] |
| Vendor | Product | Version | Raw CPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| microsoft | windows_10_1507 | < 10.0.10240.19003 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1507:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_10_1607 | < 10.0.14393.4530 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_10_1809 | < 10.0.17763.2061 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_10_1909 | < 10.0.18363.1679 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1909:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_10_2004 | < 10.0.19041.1110 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_10_20h2 | < 10.0.19042.1110 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_20h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_10_21h1 | < 10.0.19043.1110 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_21h1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_8.1 | — | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_rt_8.1 | — | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_rt_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_server_2004 | < 10.0.19041.1110 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_server_2008 | — | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:-:sp1:*:*:*:*:x64:* |
| microsoft | windows_server_2008 | — | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:-:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_server_2012 | — | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:-:r2:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_server_2016 | < 10.0.14393.4530 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_server_2019 | < 10.0.17763.2061 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2019:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| microsoft | windows_server_20h2 | < 10.0.19042.1110 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_20h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
| URL | Tags |
|---|---|
| https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-33771 | Patch Vendor Advisory |
| https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-33771 | US Government Resource |