CVE-2022-21999

HIGH KEV RANSOMWARE

Windows Print Spooler - Privilege Escalation

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2022-21999 is actively exploited and listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added March 25, 2022, with confirmed use in ransomware campaigns. EIP tracks 2 public exploits from researchers including ly4k, Oliver Lyak, Shelby Pace, including a Metasploit module exploits/windows/local/cve_2022_21999_spoolfool_privesc.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2022-21999, a Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege vulnerability. The exploit leverages a DLL to create a new local administrator account and add it to the administrators group.

Description

Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Exploits (2)

nomisec WORKING POC 797 stars
by ly4k · local
https://github.com/ly4k/SpoolFool

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2022-21999, a Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege vulnerability. The exploit leverages a DLL to create a new local administrator account and add it to the administrators group.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Windows Print Spooler (affects multiple Windows versions)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable Windows system · Ability to execute code as a low-privileged user
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC NORMAL
by Oliver Lyak, Shelby Pace · rubypocwin
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/cve_2022_21999_spoolfool_privesc.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2022-21999 (SpoolFool) to achieve local privilege escalation by manipulating the Windows Print Spooler's SpoolDirectory configuration via SetPrinterDataEx, leading to arbitrary DLL loading and SYSTEM-level code execution.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Racy
Target: Windows Print Spooler (Windows 10, Windows 11, Server 2022)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · PRINTER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER permissions
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →

References (2)

Core 2

Scores

CVSS v3 7.8
EPSS 0.7320
EPSS Percentile 98.8%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation active
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

CISA KEV 2022-03-25
VulnCheck KEV 2022-03-25
InTheWild.io 2022-02-11
ENISA EUVD EUVD-2022-27153
Ransomware Use Confirmed
CWE
CWE-22 CWE-59
Status published
Products (19)
microsoft/windows_10_1507 < 10.0.10240.19204
microsoft/windows_10_1607 < 10.0.14393.4946
microsoft/windows_10_1809 < 10.0.17763.2565
microsoft/windows_10_1909 < 10.0.18363.2094
microsoft/windows_10_20h2 < 10.0.19042.1526
microsoft/windows_10_21h1 < 10.0.19043.1526
microsoft/windows_10_21h2 < 10.0.19044.1526
microsoft/windows_11_21h2 < 10.0.22000.493
microsoft/windows_7
microsoft/windows_8.1
... and 9 more
Published Feb 09, 2022
KEV Added Mar 25, 2022
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026