Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A logged-in attacker with limited privileges can abuse the Windows Print Spooler to gain higher privileges, potentially taking full control of an affected computer. The flaw has a high severity score and is listed by CISA as known exploited, making unpatched Windows endpoints and servers an urgent concern.
Executive priority
Treat as an urgent patching priority because exploitation is documented and successful abuse can yield full system-level impact. Confirm coverage promptly, emphasizing high-value systems and unsupported Windows versions. Escalate exceptions where patching or disabling the Print Spooler is not immediately feasible.
Technical view
CVE-2022-41073 is a Windows Print Spooler elevation-of-privilege vulnerability categorized as CWE-787. It requires local access and low privileges, needs no user interaction, and can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Its CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8. Microsoft published a security update for affected Windows releases.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely where listed Windows 7, 8.1, 10, 11, or Windows Server systems lack Microsoft's relevant security update. Prioritize systems running the Print Spooler, shared workstations, administrative jump hosts, and servers where an attacker could first obtain a low-privileged account.
Exploitation context
CISA includes CVE-2022-41073 in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, supporting active exploitation in the wild. The supplied evidence does not describe campaign scope, exploit availability, targeted sectors, or observed attack chains. Exploitation requires an attacker to already have local low-privileged access.
Researcher notes
The supplied vector is AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. The bundle identifies CWE-787 but provides no root-cause detail, exploitation telemetry, indicators of compromise, or specific update identifiers. Consult Microsoft's advisory for exact product applicability and update mapping.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Microsoft's security update for CVE-2022-41073 across affected Windows systems.
- Prioritize internet-facing, shared, privileged-access, and high-value systems for remediation.
- Review Microsoft guidance for unsupported Windows releases and available servicing options.
- Disable the Print Spooler where operationally unnecessary, after assessing business impact.
Validation and detection
- Inventory affected Windows versions and compare installed updates with Microsoft's advisory.
- Confirm remediation through endpoint-management or vulnerability-scanning results.
- Identify systems where the Print Spooler remains enabled and document operational necessity.
- Retest representative endpoints and servers after updating or applying mitigations.
Public sources used
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
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
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-787: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. 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 lookupCVE-2022-41073 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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
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
SSVC decision data
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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C1.85.9microsoftVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- Added to KEVCISA-ADP
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities metadata lists this CVE as known exploited.
- ADP timelineCISA-ADP
CVE-2022-41073 added to CISA KEV
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
- 2022-11-08T00:00:00.000Z: CVE-2022-41073 added to CISA KEV
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityCVE reference, microsoft · vendor-advisory, patch
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-41073CVE reference, CISA-ADP · 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.
Out-of-bounds Write
Out-of-bounds Write represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.