CVE-2014-6324
Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC)
The Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2 allows remote authenticated domain users to obtain domain administrator privileges via a forged signature in a ticket, as exploited in the wild in November 2014, aka "Kerberos Checksum Vulnerability."
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 25 March 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 15 April 2022.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 87.3%, which is higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2014-6324 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2014-6324.
What does CVE-2014-6324 affect?
CVE-2014-6324 affects Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC). The Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2 allows remote authenticated domain users to obtain domain administrator privileges via a forged signature in a ticket, as exploited in the wild in November 2014, aka "Kerberos Checksum Vulnerability."
How severe is CVE-2014-6324?
CVE-2014-6324 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 8.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 87.3%, higher than 99.8% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 15 April 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2014-6324?
Apply the vendor patch for Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.