Security readout for executives and security teams
CVE-2015-0016 is a Microsoft Windows privilege escalation flaw in the Terminal Services Web Proxy component. It can help code break out of a lower-privilege Internet Explorer sandbox into a more capable user context. Because CISA lists it as known exploited, any remaining unpatched legacy Windows systems should be treated as urgent remediation targets. Exposure is most likely on legacy or unpatched Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, Server 2008 R2, Server 2012, Windows RT, and RT 8.1 systems. Internet Explorer browsing or RDS Web Proxy-related use increases practical concern, but the bundle does not prove every deployment configuration is affected. Prioritize remediation if any affected legacy Windows systems remain. This is not a new vulnerability, but KEV listing means real-world exploitation is established. The business risk is concentrated in outdated assets that may still support sensitive operations or user browsing. Mitigation focus: Apply Microsoft MS15-004 or the corresponding vendor update where supported.; Verify KB3025421 or equivalent patch coverage on affected Windows versions.; Retire or isolate unsupported Windows systems that cannot receive vendor fixes..
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2015-0016 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- ms-windows-cve20150016-priv-esc(99515)CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_XF
- win-ms15kb3025421-update(99516)CVE reference · vdb-entry, x_refsource_XF
- MS15-004CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_MS
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2015-0016CVE reference · government-resource
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.