CVE-2014-6324
CVE-2014-6324 is a security flaw in Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC). Someone who already has a foothold can use Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) to take full control of the machine. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 25 Mar 2022.[1]
Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Microsoft has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a privilege escalation in Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC). In its words: “The Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) in Microsoft allows remote authenticated domain users to obtain domain administrator privileges.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “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."”[2]
The underlying weakness is permissions and access control (CWE-264), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 8.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by the organisation that published the CVE using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Microsoft’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC).
Most families won’t have Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC); it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 25 Mar 2022, 2,684 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 15 Apr 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 87%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Microsoft has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 15 Apr 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 8.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 87%.[4] |
See also
Other Microsoft flaws
- CVE-2026-96951, Microsoft Windows: command injection ·
- CVE-2026-65660, Microsoft SharePoint: code injection ·
- CVE-2026-85880, Microsoft Windows: heap-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2026-81963, Microsoft Windows: link following ·
- CVE-2019-1068, Microsoft SQL Server: remote code execution ·
Other permissions and access control flaws
- CVE-2015-3246, Red Hat Libuser: race condition ·
- CVE-2013-0643, Adobe Flash Player: incorrect default permissions ·
- CVE-2015-0310, Adobe Flash Player: ASLR bypass ·
- CVE-2013-3993, IBM InfoSphere BigInsights: invalid input ·
- CVE-2013-0422, Oracle Java Runtime Environment (JRE): JRE remote code execution ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-26318, WatchGuard Firebox and XTM Appliances: arbitrary code execution ·
- CVE-2022-26143, Mitel MiCollab, MiVoice Business Express: access control ·
- CVE-2022-21999, Microsoft Windows: print spooler privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2021-42237, Sitecore XP: remote command execution ·
- CVE-2021-22941, Citrix ShareFile: improper access control ·
Every Microsoft flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Microsoft Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) Privilege Escalation Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 25 Mar 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2014-6324 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 18 Nov 2014.
- ^ Microsoft. Advisories and fixes: docs.microsoft.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.873, percentile 99.8, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2014-6324”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.