CVE-2019-1315VulnerabilityPublished 03/15/2022Updated 10/24/2026

CVE-2019-1315: Microsoft Windows Error Reporting Manager Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Affects Microsoft WindowsSource CISA KEV

Severity

High

No CVSS score published yet

Exploitation: Actively exploited – in CISA KEV since 03/15/2022
KEV deadline: 04/05/2022
Ransomware: Used in ransomware campaigns
EPSS: 3.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 89% of CVEs

What to do

CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1315 (opens in a new tab)

Description

CVE-2019-1315 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Microsoft Windows involving improper handling of hard links by the Windows Error Reporting manager. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to overwrite targeted files, resulting in elevated privileges. This vulnerability has been exploited in the wild and is known to have been used in ransomware campaigns.

Summary

This vulnerability arises from Windows Error Reporting manager's improper handling of hard links, which can be exploited by an attacker to overwrite arbitrary files. By doing so, the attacker can escalate privileges on the affected Windows system. The vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2019-1315 and has been observed in active exploitation scenarios, including ransomware campaigns.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability enables an attacker to gain elevated privileges on a Windows system by overwriting targeted files via hard link manipulation. This can lead to unauthorized system modifications and potentially full system compromise. The vulnerability has been exploited in the wild and is associated with ransomware activity.

Mitigation

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance.

Weaknesses

CWE-59Unclassified weakness (opens in a new tab)

What to do

Description

AnalysisAI-generated, updated 10/24/2026, 10:55:27 UTC

Weaknesses

References

Related threats