CVE-2006-6696

Microsoft Windows < Vista - Privilege Escalation

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 2 public exploits for CVE-2006-6696. PoCs published by Ruben Santamarta, anonymous.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages the NtRaiseHardError function in Windows to trigger a memory disclosure vulnerability in csrss.exe by reading arbitrary memory addresses. It uses NtQuerySystemInformation to locate csrss.exe threads and then reads memory contents via crafted NtRaiseHardError calls.

Description

Double free vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista allows local users to gain privileges by calling the MessageBox function with a MB_SERVICE_NOTIFICATION message with crafted data, which sends a HardError message to Client/Server Runtime Server Subsystem (CSRSS) process, which is not properly handled when invoking the UserHardError and GetHardErrorText functions in WINSRV.DLL.

Exploits (2)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Ruben Santamarta · clocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/3024

This exploit leverages the NtRaiseHardError function in Windows to trigger a memory disclosure vulnerability in csrss.exe by reading arbitrary memory addresses. It uses NtQuerySystemInformation to locate csrss.exe threads and then reads memory contents via crafted NtRaiseHardError calls.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Info Leak
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (csrss.exe)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a vulnerable Windows system · Ability to execute arbitrary code
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by anonymous · doswindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/2967

This exploit demonstrates a denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability in Windows by repeatedly calling MessageBoxA with a malformed string, causing system instability. The code leverages the MB_SERVICE_NOTIFICATION flag to trigger the bug.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Dos
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (specific version not specified)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Windows system with vulnerable user32.dll
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (23)

Core 23
Core References
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/455546/100/0/threaded
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vendor-advisory x_refsource_hp
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/466331/100/200/threaded
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://securitytracker.com/id?1017433
Various Sources x_refsource_misc
http://www.security.nnov.ru/Gnews944.html
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/455088/100/0/threaded
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/455158/100/0/threaded
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/21688
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry signature x_refsource_oval
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A1816
Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2007/1325
Various Sources x_refsource_misc
http://www.security.nnov.ru/files/messagebox.c
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/23324
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/455104/100/0/threaded
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/455061/100/0/threaded
Vendor Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/23448
Various Sources x_refsource_misc
http://isc.sans.org/diary.php?n&storyid=1965
Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2006/5120

Scores

EPSS 0.0328
EPSS Percentile 86.8%

Details

CWE
CWE-119
Status published
Products (8)
microsoft/windows_2000 (5 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_2003_server datacenter_edition (3 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_2003_server enterprise_edition sp1 (2 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_2003_server sp1
microsoft/windows_2003_server standard (3 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_2003_server web (3 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_vista (4 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_xp (8 CPE variants)
Published Dec 22, 2006
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026