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HIGH · CVSS 7.8 CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

CVE-2015-0016

Microsoft Windows TS WebProxy Directory Traversal Vulnerability

Microsoft Windows

Directory traversal vulnerability in the TS WebProxy (aka TSWbPrxy) component in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a crafted pathname in an executable file, as demonstrated by a transition from Low Integrity to Medium Integrity, aka "Directory Traversal Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

CVSS
7.8
HIGH
EPSS
75.8%
30-day exploitation
Ransomware groups
0
recorded exploiting
Published
13 Jan 2015
CWE-22

Exploitation status

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Listed by CISA on 25 May 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 15 June 2022.

EPSS — exploitation probability

FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 75.8%, which is higher than 99.5% 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:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2015-0016 being exploited by ransomware groups?

No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2015-0016.

What does CVE-2015-0016 affect?

CVE-2015-0016 affects Microsoft Windows. Directory traversal vulnerability in the TS WebProxy (aka TSWbPrxy) component in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a crafted pathname in an executable file, as demonstrated by a transition from Low Integrity to Medium Integrity, aka "Directory Traversal Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

How severe is CVE-2015-0016?

CVE-2015-0016 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 75.8%, higher than 99.5% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 15 June 2022.

How should organisations respond to CVE-2015-0016?

Apply the vendor patch for Microsoft Windows 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.