CVE-2021-36948: Microsoft Windows Update Medic Service Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Is it exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 3 Nov 2021, 83 days after the CVE record was published.

How likely is exploitation in the next 30 days?

23.3%

EPSS score, percentile 97.8 of all scored records

How severe?

7.8 High

CVSS v3.1 base score, given by the CNA

What should I do?

CISA deadline 17 Nov 2021. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Advisories and patches (1)

Which versions are affected?

Affected

• from 10.0.17763.0 to before 10.0.17763.2114
• from 10.0.0 to before 10.0.17763.2114
• from 10.0.0 to before 10.0.18363.1734
• from 10.0.0 to before 10.0.19041.1165
• from 10.0.0 to before 10.0.19042.1165
• from 10.0.0 to before 10.0.19043.1165

and 4 more in the table below

Versions by product

Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.

What to do

CISA due date for this action: 17 November 2021.

Advisories and patches

• Windows Update Medic Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (Vendor advisory, Patch)

Linked from CISA's catalog entry

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-36948

Affected products and versions

As listed in the CVE record.

Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.

About this vulnerability

Microsoft Windows Update Medic Service contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation.

Summary: CISA's KEV catalog, as of 28 Oct 2026.

• CISA added CVE-2021-36948 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 3 Nov 2021.
• CISA's ransomware flag for this entry is "Unknown": no evidence of ransomware use in the catalog, which is not proof of none.
• The due date CISA sets for the required action is 17 Nov 2021.
• The CVE record was published on 12 Aug 2021, 83 days before it was added to KEV.
• The CVE record carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (High), given by its CNA.
• FIRST's EPSS model puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 23.3% (percentile 97.8), as of 28 Oct 2026.
• CISA's SSVC assessment in the CVE record: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact total.

Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.

Description

Windows Update Medic Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Windows Update Medic Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.

Timeline

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