CVE-2019-1388
Microsoft Windows Certificate Dialog Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft Windows
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the Windows Certificate Dialog when it does not properly enforce user privileges, aka 'Windows Certificate Dialog Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 7 April 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 28 April 2023. CISA records this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 8.6%, which is higher than 95.1% 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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2019-1388 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2019-1388.
What does CVE-2019-1388 affect?
CVE-2019-1388 affects Microsoft Windows. An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the Windows Certificate Dialog when it does not properly enforce user privileges, aka 'Windows Certificate Dialog Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.
How severe is CVE-2019-1388?
CVE-2019-1388 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 8.6%, higher than 95.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 28 April 2023.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2019-1388?
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.