CVE-2014-4113

HIGH KEV

Microsoft Windows - Privilege Escalation

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2014-4113 is actively exploited and listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added May 4, 2022. EIP tracks 12 public exploits from researchers including ryujin, Metasploit, MWR InfoSecurity, including a Metasploit module exploits/windows/local/ms14_058_track_popup_menu.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages a privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows 8.0-8.1 x64 via the TrackPopupMenu function (CVE-2014-4113). It uses shellcode to spawn a command prompt with elevated privileges by manipulating menu structures and hooking window procedures.

Description

win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, as exploited in the wild in October 2014, aka "Win32k.sys Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

Exploits (12)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by ryujin · pythonlocalwindows_x86-64
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37064

This exploit leverages a privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows 8.0-8.1 x64 via the TrackPopupMenu function (CVE-2014-4113). It uses shellcode to spawn a command prompt with elevated privileges by manipulating menu structures and hooking window procedures.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows 8.0 - 8.1 x64
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable Windows 8.0-8.1 x64 system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Metasploit · rubylocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/35101

This Metasploit module exploits a NULL pointer dereference in win32k.sys via TrackPopupMenu to achieve arbitrary code execution. It supports both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows systems (XP, 2003, 7, 2008) and uses reflective DLL injection for payload delivery.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (win32k.sys)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Meterpreter session
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WRITEUP
by MWR InfoSecurity · textlocalwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39666

The provided content references a detailed technical analysis and exploit code for CVE-2014-4113, a Windows kernel vulnerability. It includes links to a PDF writeup and GitHub repository, but the actual exploit code is hosted externally in a bin-sploits archive.

Classification
Writeup 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows Kernel (win32k.sys)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a vulnerable Windows system · Ability to execute arbitrary code at user level
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC
by anonymous · c++localwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46945

The code is a proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2014-4113, targeting a Windows kernel vulnerability. It includes shellcode and functions to manipulate system handles and processes, likely for privilege escalation.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows Kernel
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a vulnerable Windows system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 42 stars
by sam-b · local
https://github.com/sam-b/CVE-2014-4113

This exploit targets CVE-2014-4113, a Windows kernel vulnerability, by manipulating menu window messages to achieve arbitrary code execution. It includes token-stealing shellcode for local privilege escalation (LPE) on Windows 7 SP1 x86 systems.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 x86
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Windows 7 SP1 x86 system · User-level execution context
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 5 stars
by nsxz · local
https://github.com/nsxz/Exploit-CVE-2014-4113

This is a functional privilege escalation exploit for CVE-2014-4113, targeting Windows XP and Windows 7 x86 systems. It leverages a kernel vulnerability to replace a process token with a SYSTEM token, achieving local privilege escalation.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (x86) XP and 7
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable Windows system · Ability to execute the exploit binary
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 3 stars
by johnjohnsp1 · poc
https://github.com/johnjohnsp1/CVE-2014-4113

This PowerShell script reflectively loads a DLL/EXE into memory, bypassing process monitoring and disk-based detection. It supports remote execution and can inject DLLs into remote processes, making it useful for post-exploitation activities.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Windows systems with PowerShell
Auth required
Prerequisites: PowerShell execution policy allowing script execution · Valid credentials for remote execution
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
github WORKING POC
by AmazingOut · cpoc
https://github.com/AmazingOut/CVE_POC/tree/main/CVE-2014-4113

This repository contains a functional proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2014-4113, a Windows kernel vulnerability. The exploit leverages a callback mechanism to manipulate window messages and trigger a use-after-free condition, demonstrating the vulnerability in a controlled manner.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (kernel)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Windows system with vulnerable kernel · Local access to execute the PoC
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 27, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC NORMAL
by Unknown, juan vazquez, Spencer McIntyre · rubypocwin
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/ms14_058_track_popup_menu.rb

This Metasploit module exploits a NULL pointer dereference in win32k.sys via TrackPopupMenu, leading to arbitrary code execution. It supports both x86 and x64 architectures and has been tested on multiple Windows versions.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (win32k.sys)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Meterpreter session
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
patchapalooza WRITEUP
by Ascotbe · local
https://github.com/Ascotbe/Kernelhub

This repository contains documentation and metadata generation scripts for a collection of Windows kernel exploits, including CVE-2014-4113. It does not include actual exploit code but provides structured documentation and configuration files for organizing exploit information.

Classification
Writeup 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: Windows Kernel (various versions)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: access to the repository · Python environment for script execution
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 23, 2026 Full analysis →
patchapalooza WORKING POC
by ahhh · local
https://gitlab.com/ahhh/CVE-2014-4113

This repository contains a PowerShell script for reflectively loading DLL/EXE files into memory, which can be used to exploit CVE-2014-4113 (a Windows OLE vulnerability). The script supports remote execution and memory injection, bypassing process monitoring.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Windows (OLE vulnerability)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: PowerShell execution access · DLL/EXE payload
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 23, 2026 Full analysis →

References (12)

Core 12
Core References
Broken Link third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/60970
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37064/
Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/70364
Broken Link vdb-entry x_refsource_osvdb
http://osvdb.org/show/osvdb/113167
Patch, Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ms
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2014/ms14-058
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39666/
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/35101
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://github.com/sam-b/CVE-2014-4113

Scores

CVSS v3 7.8
EPSS 0.7846
EPSS Percentile 99.1%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation active
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

CISA KEV 2022-05-04
VulnCheck KEV 2014-10-14
InTheWild.io 2014-10-14
ENISA EUVD EUVD-2014-4044
Status published
Products (11)
microsoft/windows_7
microsoft/windows_8
microsoft/windows_8.1
microsoft/windows_rt
microsoft/windows_rt_8.1
microsoft/windows_server_2003
microsoft/windows_server_2008
microsoft/windows_server_2008 r2 sp1
microsoft/windows_server_2012
microsoft/windows_server_2012 r2
... and 1 more
Published Oct 15, 2014
KEV Added May 04, 2022
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026