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CVE-2022-41033

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

CVE-2022-41033 is a security flaw in Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service, a part of Windows, Microsoft’s operating system. Someone who already has a foothold can use Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service 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 11 Oct 2022.[1]

Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Fixed in version 10.0.17763.3532, 10.0.19043.2130, 10.0.20348.1129 and 10.0.19042.2130 and others.

Description

CISA calls it a privilege escalation in Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service. In its words: “Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation.”[1]

The underlying weakness is type confusion (CWE-843), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]

It scores 7.8 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 lists these fixed versions: in each line, everything before the version shown is affected.[2]

ProductFixed in
Windows 10 Version 180910.0.17763.3532
Windows Server 201910.0.17763.3532
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)10.0.17763.3532
Windows 10 Version 21H110.0.19043.2130
Windows Server 202210.0.20348.1129
Windows 10 Version 20H210.0.19042.2130
Windows 11 version 21H210.0.22000.1098
Windows 10 Version 21H210.0.19044.2130

Every device with Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service needs the update.

Exploitation

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 11 Oct 2022, within a day of it being made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 1 Nov 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 2%. That’s in the top 21% 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 Windows COM+ Event System Service 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. Check you’re on 10.0.17763.3532 or later.Fixed in version 10.0.17763.3532, 10.0.19043.2130, 10.0.20348.1129 and 10.0.19042.2130 and others. Anything older is what attackers are going after.
  3. 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 7.8.[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 2%.[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 type confusion flaws

  • CVE-2026-85046, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: type confusion ·
  • CVE-2025-13223, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: type confusion ·
  • CVE-2025-10585, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: type confusion ·
  • CVE-2025-6554, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: type confusion ·
  • CVE-2024-7971, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: type confusion ·

Added the same day

  • CVE-2022-40684, Fortinet products: authentication bypass ·

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

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Microsoft Windows COM+ Event System Service Privilege Escalation Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 11 Oct 2022.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-41033 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 11 Oct 2022.
  3. ^ Microsoft. Advisories and fixes: msrc.microsoft.com, msrc.microsoft.com, portal.msrc.microsoft.com.
  4. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.019, percentile 79.5, 31 Oct 2026.
  5. CVE Program. “CVE-2022-41033”. 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.