Windows Common Log File System Driver Out-of-Bounds Read Privilege Escalation
CVE-2023-36424 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) driver. The issue is described as an out-of-bounds read caused by improper validation of memory read boundaries in the CLFS driver. A local attacker can trigger the flaw from a low-integrity, unprivileged context and exploit it to elevate privileges on the affected Windows system. Public reporting in the provided content states Microsoft patched the issue in November 2023 and that CISA later added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog based on evidence of active exploitation.
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Impact, mitigation & remediation
What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.
Impact
What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.
Mitigation
If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.
Remediation
Patch, then assume compromise.
Exploits
1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos.
This repository contains a working exploit for CVE-2023-36424, a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows kernel driver clfs.sys (version 10.0.22621.2134) on Windows 11 22H2 (build 22621.2215). The exploit is implemented in C++ (polpol.cpp) and leverages a pool overflow in the clfs.sys mini filter driver, triggered via a specially crafted NTFS reparse point. The exploit manipulates kernel memory to overwrite a process token, allowing the attacker to spawn a SYSTEM shell (cmd.exe). The repository includes Visual Studio project files for building the exploit, as well as a detailed README.md with technical analysis and exploitation steps. The main attack vector is local, requiring the attacker to execute code on the target system. No network endpoints are involved. The exploit is operational and provides a SYSTEM shell if successful.
Affected products & vendors
Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.
Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.
Recent activity
22 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
A Windows Common Log File System Driver vulnerability that could facilitate privilege escalation.
A local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) driver caused by an out-of-bounds read.
An out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows.
An out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Common Log File System Driver that could result in privilege escalation.
The version that knows your environment.
Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.
Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.
Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.