CVE-2021-34527

Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

HIGH
8.8
CVSS Score
Published: July 2, 2021 at 09:25 PM UTC
Updated: August 10, 2026 at 08:28 PM UTC
16 products affected across 1 vendorWindows Server 2016Windows Server 2019Windows Server 2012

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Severity
HIGH8.8
Exploitation
CISA KEV
Exploit prediction
EPSS 100%
SSVC
Active

Actively Exploited

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog

EPSS Score99.8%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) estimates a 99.8% chance this CVE is exploited in the wild within the next 30 days — higher than 100% of all CVEs. It complements CVSS: a high EPSS on a mid-severity CVE can still be urgent.

Microsoft Windows Print Spooler contains an unspecified vulnerability due to the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performing privileged file operations. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to perform remote code execution with SYSTEM privileges. The vulnerability is also known under the moniker of PrintNightmare.

Required Action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Ransomware Use
Known
Added to KEV
Nov 3, 2021
Remediation Due
May 3, 2022
1642 days overdue

Description

<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.</p> <p>UPDATE July 7, 2021: The security update for Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10, Version 1607 have been released. Please see the Security Updates table for the applicable update for your system. We recommend that you install these updates immediately. If you are unable to install these updates, see the FAQ and Workaround sections in this CVE for information on how to help protect your system from this vulnerability.</p> <p>In addition to installing the updates, in order to secure your system, you must confirm that the following registry settings are set to 0 (zero) or are not defined (<strong>Note</strong>: These registry keys do not exist by default, and therefore are already at the secure setting.), also that your Group Policy setting are correct (see FAQ):</p> <ul> <li>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint</li> <li>NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting)</li> <li>UpdatePromptSettings = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Having NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall set to 1 makes your system vulnerable by design.</strong></p> <p>UPDATE July 6, 2021: Microsoft has completed the investigation and has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Please see the Security Updates table for the applicable update for your system. We recommend that you install these updates immediately. If you are unable to install these updates, see the FAQ and Workaround sections in this CVE for information on how to help protect your system from this vulnerability. See also <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/topic/31b91c02-05bc-4ada-a7ea-183b129578a7">KB5005010: Restricting installation of new printer drivers after applying the July 6, 2021 updates</a>.</p> <p>Note that the security updates released on and after July 6, 2021 contain protections for CVE-2021-1675 and the additional remote code execution exploit in the Windows Print Spooler service known as “PrintNightmare”, documented in CVE-2021-34527.</p>

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 10.0.10240.1896910.0.10240.0 ≤ v < 10.0.10240.1896910.0.10240.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.10240.18969, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 10.0.14393.447010.0.14393.0 ≤ v < 10.0.14393.447010.0.14393.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.14393.4470, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 10.0.17763.202910.0.0 ≤ v < 10.0.17763.202910.0.17763.0 ≤ v < 10.0.17763.202910.0.010.0.17763.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.17763.2029, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 10.0.19042.108310.0.0 ≤ v < 10.0.19042.108310.0.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.19042.1083, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 10.0.19044.141510.0.19044.0 ≤ v < 10.0.19044.141510.0.19044.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.19044.1415, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 10.0.19045.225110.0.19045.0 ≤ v < 10.0.19045.225110.0.19045.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.19045.2251, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 10.0.22000.31810.0.22000.0 ≤ v < 10.0.22000.31810.0.22000.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.22000.318, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 10.0.22621.67410.0.22621.0 ≤ v < 10.0.22621.67410.0.22621.0
Affected range stops below 10.0.22621.674, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
6.3.0 ≤ v < 6.3.9600.20046
Affected range stops below 6.3.9600.20046, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
6.0.6003.0 ≤ v < 6.0.6003.211386.1.7601.0 ≤ v < 6.1.7601.256336.0.6003.06.1.7601.0r2 sp1sp2
Affected range stops below 6.0.6003.21138, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 6.1.7601.25633, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (7)

ExploitThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2021-34527-printnightmare-detection-script
ExploitThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2021-34527-printnightmare-mitigation-script
Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/383432
US Government Resource
Source: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-34527

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCActiveNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

8.8HIGHmicrosoft
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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