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CVE-2015-2360

From Exploited flaws, HARD’s guide to the flaws being used in attacks · Checked
This article is about a flaw in Microsoft Win32k. For every flaw being used in attacks, see Exploited flaws; for Microsoft’s, see Microsoft flaws being used in attacks.

CVE-2015-2360 is a security flaw in Microsoft Win32k, a part of Windows, Microsoft’s operating system. Someone who already has a foothold can use Microsoft Win32k 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 May 2022.[1]

Microsoft Win32k is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Microsoft has published a fix or advice.

Description

CISA calls it a privilege escalation in Microsoft Win32k. In its words: “Win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows allows local users to gain privileges or cause denial-of-service (DoS).”[1]

The CVE record adds: “win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2 and R2 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."”[2]

The underlying weakness is memory buffer error (CWE-119), 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 Win32k.

Every device with Microsoft Win32k needs the update.

Exploitation

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 25 May 2022, 2,541 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 Jun 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 15%. That’s in the top 4% 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]

  1. Update Microsoft Win32k now.On Windows: Settings, Windows Update, Check for updates, then restart. Office updates come the same way, or from any Office app: File, Account, Update Options. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
  2. If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.

Timeline

DateEvent
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 15%.[4]

See also

Other Microsoft Win32k flaws

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 memory buffer error flaws

  • CVE-2026-88779, Citrix NetScaler: improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer ·
  • CVE-2026-88772, Citrix NetScaler: improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer ·
  • CVE-2026-88771, Citrix NetScaler: improper input validation ·
  • CVE-2026-8452, Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway: improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer ·
  • CVE-2009-3459, Adobe Acrobat and Reader: heap-based buffer overflow ·

Added the same day

  • CVE-2019-3010, Oracle Solaris: privilege escalation ·
  • CVE-2016-7256, Microsoft Windows: open type font remote code execution ·
  • CVE-2016-3393, Microsoft Windows: graphics device interface (GDI) remote code execution ·
  • CVE-2016-1010, Adobe Flash Player and AIR: integer overflow ·
  • CVE-2016-0984, Adobe Flash Player and AIR: use-after-free ·

Every Microsoft flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in May 2022

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 25 May 2022.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2015-2360 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 10 Jun 2015.
  3. ^ Microsoft. Advisories and fixes: docs.microsoft.com.
  4. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.148, percentile 96.7, 31 Oct 2026.
  5. CVE Program. “CVE-2015-2360”. 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.