CVE-2019-1129
Published: March 15, 2022
Official Description
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when Windows AppXSVC improperly handles hard links. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run processes in an elevated context.
CISA KEV Advisory
Microsoft Windows AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC) Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when Windows AppXSVC improperly handles hard links. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run processes in an elevated context.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Risk Analysis
This high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows AppXSVC arises from improper handling of hard links. Its inclusion in CISA's KEV catalog and an EPSS score of 0.03114 indicate that this is a confirmed and actively exploited issue. An attacker could exploit this to run processes with elevated privileges.
This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild, as confirmed by its presence in CISA's KEV catalog. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to run processes in an elevated context.
Apply all available security updates and patches for Microsoft Windows. Implement principle of least privilege to limit the impact of successful privilege escalation.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2019-1129 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
CISA has added CVE-2019-1129 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. U.S. federal agencies are required to patch this within the mandated timeframe, and all organizations should treat remediation as urgent.
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (1)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2019-1129 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
- !CISA KEV: Federal agencies must patch per BOD 22-01 timeline
- !Active exploitation confirmed — treat as P1