Microsoft · Windows
CVE-2010-0232
Microsoft Windows Kernel Exception Handler Vulnerability
What it is
The kernel in Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 through Windows 7, including Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2, and Windows Server 2008 Gold and SP2, when access to 16-bit applications is enabled on a 32-bit x86 platform, does not properly validate certain BIOS calls, which allows local users to gain privileges by crafting a VDM_TIB data structure in the Thread Environment Block (TEB), and then calling the NtVdmControl function to start the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (aka NTVDM) subsystem, leading to improperly handled exceptions involving the #GP trap handler (nt!KiTrap0D), aka "Windows Kernel Exception Handler Vulnerability."
CISA: The kernel in Microsoft Windows, when access to 16-bit applications is enabled on a 32-bit x86 platform, does not properly validate certain BIOS calls, which allows local users to gain privileges.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Deadline for US federal agencies: March 24, 2022
- Added to the CISA list
- March 3, 2022
- Published
- January 21, 2010
- Severity
- High 7.8 CVSS 3.1
- Chance of attacks in the next 30 days (EPSS)
- 29% in the top 1.9% of all known vulnerabilities
- Weakness
- CWE-264
- More details
- NVD · CVE.org · CISA
All references (14)
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2010/ms10-015
- http://lists.immunitysec.com/pipermail/dailydave/2010-January/006000.html
- http://lock.cmpxchg8b.com/c0af0967d904cef2ad4db766a00bc6af/KiTrap0D.zip
- http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/archive/2010/01/20/security-advisory-979682-released.aspx
- http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/979682.mspx
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA10-040A.html
- http://securitytracker.com/id?1023471
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2010/Jan/341
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/0179
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37864
- http://secunia.com/advisories/38265
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/509106/100/0/threaded
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/55742
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A8344
More exploited flaws from Microsoft
| Added | Vulnerability | Product | Severity | Attack chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Command Injection | Windows | High 8.8 | 9.8% |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Link Following | Windows | High 7.8 | 0.4% |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Heap-Based Buffer Overflow | Windows | High 7.8 | 0.4% |
| May 20, 2026 | Buffer Overflow | Windows | Critical 9.8 | 99% |
| Apr 28, 2026 | Protection Mechanism Failure | Windows | Medium 4.3 | 71% |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Out-of-Bounds Read | Windows | High 7.8 | 12% |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Link Following | Windows | High 7.8 | 4.6% |
| Feb 17, 2026 | Microsoft Windows Video ActiveX Control Remote Code Execution | Windows | High 8.8 | 77% |
Sources: Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (CISA, public domain), CVE records (cve.org) and EPSS (FIRST). The chance of attacks is the EPSS estimate that someone will try to exploit the flaw in the next 30 days.