CVE-2010-2743

EXPLOITED IN THE WILD

Microsoft Windows XP SP3 - Privilege Escalation

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2010-2743 has been observed exploited in the wild (reported by VulnCheck KEV, InTheWild.io). EIP tracks 1 public exploit from researchers including Ruben Santamarta.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages CVE-2010-2743 (MS10-073) by crafting a malformed keyboard layout file to trigger a memory corruption vulnerability in Windows, allowing arbitrary code execution via shellcode. The PoC uses NtUserLoadKeyboardLayoutEx to load the malicious file and SendInput to trigger the payload.

Description

The kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows XP SP3 do not properly perform indexing of a function-pointer table during the loading of keyboard layouts from disk, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, as demonstrated in the wild in July 2010 by the Stuxnet worm, aka "Win32k Keyboard Layout Vulnerability." NOTE: this might be a duplicate of CVE-2010-3888 or CVE-2010-3889.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Ruben Santamarta · clocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15985

This exploit leverages CVE-2010-2743 (MS10-073) by crafting a malformed keyboard layout file to trigger a memory corruption vulnerability in Windows, allowing arbitrary code execution via shellcode. The PoC uses NtUserLoadKeyboardLayoutEx to load the malicious file and SendInput to trigger the payload.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (affected versions include Windows XP, Server 2003, Vista, Server 2008, and Windows 7 prior to the patch)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Ability to write files to the filesystem
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →

References (3)

Core 3
Core References
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry signature x_refsource_oval
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A7514
US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA10-285A.html

Scores

EPSS 0.0565
EPSS Percentile 90.6%

Details

VulnCheck KEV 2021-12-15
InTheWild.io 2019-02-26
Status published
Products (6)
microsoft/windows_2003_server (2 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_7 (2 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_server_2003
microsoft/windows_server_2008 (8 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_vista (3 CPE variants)
microsoft/windows_xp (2 CPE variants)
Published Jan 20, 2011
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026