CVE-2003-0908

Microsoft Windows 2000 - Local Privilege Escalation via Utility Manager Shatter Attack

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2003-0908. PoCs published by Cesar Cerrudo.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows Utility Manager by manipulating the Windows Help dialog to execute cmd.exe with system privileges. It automates UI interactions to bypass security restrictions and spawn a privileged shell.

Description

The Utility Manager in Microsoft Windows 2000 executes winhlp32.exe with system privileges, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a "Shatter" style attack using a Windows message that accesses the context sensitive help button in the GUI, as demonstrated using the File Open dialog in the Help window, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-0213.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Cesar Cerrudo · clocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/271

This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows Utility Manager by manipulating the Windows Help dialog to execute cmd.exe with system privileges. It automates UI interactions to bypass security restrictions and spawn a privileged shell.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Windows Utility Manager (utilman.exe) on vulnerable Windows versions
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Utility Manager must be accessible
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →

References (10)

Core 10
Core References
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/10124
Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource third-party-advisory government-resource x_refsource_ciac
http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/o-114.shtml
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/15632
Patch, Vendor Advisory x_refsource_misc
http://www.appsecinc.com/resources/alerts/general/04-0001.html
Patch, Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert-vn
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/526084
Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA04-104A.html
Third Party Advisory mailing-list x_refsource_vulnwatch
http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/vulnwatch/2004-q1/0082.html
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry signature x_refsource_oval
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A1046

Scores

EPSS 0.2594
EPSS Percentile 97.7%

Details

Status published
Products (1)
microsoft/windows_2000
Published Jun 01, 2004
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026