CVE-2004-0213

HIGH

Windows 2000 - Privilege Escalation via Utility Manager Shatter Attack

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 4 public exploits for CVE-2004-0213. PoCs published by kralor, bkbll, Cesar Cerrudo.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit targets CVE-2004-0213, a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows 2000 Utility Manager. It leverages language-specific window names to spawn a system-level command shell via a crafted sequence of GUI interactions and socket-based command execution.

Description

Utility Manager in Windows 2000 launches winhlp32.exe while Utility Manager is running with raised privileges, which allows local users to gain system privileges via a "Shatter" style attack that sends a Windows message to cause Utility Manager to launch winhlp32 by directly accessing the context sensitive help and bypassing the GUI, then sending another message to winhlp32 in order to open a user-selected file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2003-0908.

Exploits (4)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by kralor · clocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/355

This exploit targets CVE-2004-0213, a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows 2000 Utility Manager. It leverages language-specific window names to spawn a system-level command shell via a crafted sequence of GUI interactions and socket-based command execution.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Windows 2000 Utility Manager
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a Windows 2000 system · Ability to execute arbitrary code in a low-privilege context
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by kralor · clocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/352

This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows 2000 Utility Manager by manipulating window messages to execute a command prompt with SYSTEM privileges. It dynamically adapts to system language settings to ensure compatibility.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Windows 2000 Utility Manager
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a Windows 2000 system · User-level execution privileges
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by bkbll · clocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/351

This exploit targets CVE-2004-0213, a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows POSIX subsystem. It leverages a buffer overflow in the POSIX subsystem to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges by injecting shellcode into a suspended process.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows POSIX Subsystem (Windows 2000 SP4, potentially others)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · POSIX subsystem installed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Cesar Cerrudo · clocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/350

This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows 2000 Utility Manager by manipulating window messages to spawn a command shell with SYSTEM privileges. It automates UI interactions to bypass intended restrictions and execute cmd.exe.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Windows 2000 Utility Manager
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a Windows 2000 system · Ability to launch Utility Manager (Win+U)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →

References (6)

Core 6
Core References
Broken Link, Patch, Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA04-196A.html
Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert-vn
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/868580
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/16592
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=108975382413405&w=2
Patch, Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ms
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2004/ms04-019

Scores

CVSS v3 7.8
EPSS 0.0265
EPSS Percentile 83.7%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Details

CWE
CWE-306
Status published
Products (1)
microsoft/windows_2000 (3 CPE variants)
Published Aug 06, 2004
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026