CVE-2024-21412 — Windows 10 21h2
HIGHCVE-2024-21412 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.1) CWE-693 vulnerability in microsoft windows 10 21h2. It is in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2024-02-13) and has been used in ransomware campaigns — treat it as actively exploited and patch now. A fix is available — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Internet Shortcut Files Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
Exploitation Status
Actively exploited in the wild
- Confirmed by CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-02-13 — including use in ransomware campaigns. Federal agencies were required to remediate by 2024-03-05.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA (KEV catalog and SSVC triage) for CVE-2024-21412.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2024-21412 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). In the shaded patch-first corner (EPSS 50%+, CVSS 7.0+).
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 394,803 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the ≥ 90% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Description
Internet Shortcut Files Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
Affected Products
windows 10 21h2microsoftwindows 10 22h2microsoftwindows 10 1809microsoftwindows 11 21h2microsoftwindows 11 22h2microsoftwindows 11 23h2microsoftResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every microsoft windows 10 21h2 deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above.
Fix
Apply the microsoft windows 10 21h2 security patch or hotfix for CVE-2024-21412 on the affected version, following the vendor advisory for your exact build.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands. Alongside that, restrict the management interface to trusted networks and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2024-21412 being exploited in your environment?
Detect and block the exploit chain at execution, on systems you cannot patch yet.