Skip to content
EXYS
Back to the CVEs

CVE-2021-34527

8.8, high Known exploited Used in ransomware

Microsoft Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

NVD (opens in a new tab) CVE.org (opens in a new tab) CISA KEV catalogue (opens in a new tab)
CVSS
8.8, high high CVSS v3.1
EPSS, next 30 days
100% higher than 99.9% of scored CVEs
Exploitation
Confirmed in the wild
Published
2 Jul 20215 years ago

Known exploited

CISA added this to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog on 3 Nov 2021 and links it to ransomware activity. US federal agencies had to remediate by 3 May 2022, a deadline that has passed.

Required action. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. UPDATE July 7, 2021: The security update for Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10, Version 1607 have been released. Please see the Security Updates table for the applicable update for your system. We recommend that you install these updates immediately. If you are unable to install these updates, see the FAQ and Workaround sections in this CVE for information on how to help protect your system from this vulnerability. In addition to installing the updates, in order to secure your system, you must confirm that the following registry settings are set to 0 (zero) or are not defined (Note: These registry keys do not exist by default, and therefore are already at the secure setting.), also that your Group Policy setting are correct (see FAQ): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting) UpdatePromptSettings = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting) Having NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall set to 1 makes your system vulnerable by design. UPDATE July 6, 2021: Microsoft has completed the investigation and has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Please see the Security Updates table for the applicable update for your system. We recommend that you install these updates immediately. If you are unable to install these updates, see the FAQ and Workaround sections in this CVE for information on how to help protect your system from this vulnerability. See also KB5005010: Restricting installation of new printer drivers after applying the July 6, 2021 updates. Note that the security updates released on and after July 6, 2021 contain protections for CVE-2021-1675 and the additional remote code execution exploit in the Windows Print Spooler service known as “PrintNightmare”, documented in CVE-2021-34527.

Details

Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 1507
Weakness
n/a
Status
Analyzed
Updated
10 Aug 2026
Assigner
secure@microsoft.com

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References 7

Exploit code 3

Patches and fixes 2

Advisories 1

Other references 1

The kind is read from NVD's tags where present and from the shape of the URL otherwise, so treat it as a hint.

Other Microsoft CVEs

Every Microsoft CVE we hold

Same vendor in what we hold, not a known link between the flaws.

  • CVE-2026-96951 Microsoft Windows Command Injection Vulnerability KEV EPSS 2% 8.8, high
  • CVE-2026-81963 Microsoft Windows Link Following Vulnerability KEV EPSS 0.4% 7.8, high
  • CVE-2026-85880 Microsoft Windows Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability KEV EPSS 4% 7.8, high
  • CVE-2026-65660 Microsoft SharePoint Code Injection Vulnerability KEV EPSS 2% 8.8, high
  • CVE-2026-68820 Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Use-After-Free Vulnerability KEV EPSS 0.3% 7, high
  • CVE-2026-50522 Microsoft SharePoint Deserialization of Untrusted Data Vulnerability KEV EPSS 3% 9.8, critical
  • CVE-2026-56155 Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services Insufficient Granularity of Access Control Vulnerability KEV EPSS 0.3% 7.8, high
  • CVE-2026-56164 Microsoft SharePoint Server Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability KEV EPSS 1% 9.8, critical

Beyond this page

Is CVE-2021-34527 in your network?

This page tells you how dangerous CVE-2021-34527 is out there. Whether it sits on one of your devices, only a scan of your own network can tell. That is what our systems do, every day, for the companies we protect.

CVE-2021-34527 is in the CISA catalogue of exploited vulnerabilities: attackers are already exploiting it.

  • EXYS7600 OCELOT

    Find it before attackers do

    Ocelot scans your network on a schedule and reports every vulnerability it finds by its CVE identifier, with its CVSS score and how many of your hosts are affected. A finding like CVE-2021-34527 comes with the devices to patch.

    Learn more about EXYS7600 OCELOT

  • EXYS7950 KONDRA

    Detect it if it's exploited

    Until the patch is applied, Kondra monitors your network, events and endpoints in real time. It keeps an inventory of the software installed on every endpoint, and its anomaly detection rules flag what an attacker does once inside.

    Learn more about EXYS7950 KONDRA
Check your exposure

Assembled from the NVD 2.0 API, the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog and FIRST EPSS. Scores are as of our last collection on 18 Oct 2026, not the live upstream state.