High

Windows Task Scheduler privilege escalation

IdentifiersCVE-2010-3338CWE-269

CVE-2010-3338 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows Task Scheduler component affecting Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2, and Windows 7. According to the provided description, Task Scheduler does not properly determine the security context of scheduled tasks. A local user can exploit this flaw by using a crafted application to cause a task to execute in an unintended, more privileged security context, resulting in elevation of privilege. Microsoft referred to this issue as the "Task Scheduler Vulnerability." The record notes a possible overlap with CVE-2010-3888.

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ANALYST BRIEF

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.

Successful exploitation allows a local attacker to elevate privileges on the affected Windows system. This can enable execution of code with higher rights than the original user, including administrative or SYSTEM-level context depending on the target configuration and exploit path. In practical post-compromise scenarios, this supports full local takeover, access to protected resources, disabling or bypassing security controls, credential theft, persistence, and use of the host for further lateral movement.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure by limiting local code execution by untrusted users, restricting interactive logon rights, and tightly controlling who can create, modify, or trigger scheduled tasks. Use least-privilege account assignments, application allowlisting, and monitoring for anomalous task creation or execution. These measures may reduce exploitability but do not eliminate the underlying vulnerability.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the Microsoft security update that addresses CVE-2010-3338 for affected Windows versions. Because the issue is in the Windows Task Scheduler security-context handling, remediation requires vendor-provided patches rather than configuration-only changes. Systems running Windows Vista SP1/SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold/SP2/R2, and Windows 7 should be updated to the relevant fixed build or cumulative security update level. If patch validation is required, prioritize systems where untrusted local users can execute code.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No valid public exploits. Mallory filtered out 1 candidate as fakes, detection scripts, or README-only repos.

VALID 0 / 1 TOTALView more in app

All candidate exploits were filtered out by Mallory's validation.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

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.

VendorProductType

Microsoft CorporationWindows 7operating_system

Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2008operating_system

Microsoft CorporationWindows Vistaoperating_system

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

3 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

3 SOURCESView more in app

mitre attackNews

Jan 24, 2026

Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, Technique T1068 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Windows privilege escalation vulnerability exploited by Carberp.

mitre attackNews

Mar 18, 2026

Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, Technique T1068 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Windows privilege escalation vulnerability exploited by Carberp.

mitre attackNews

Mar 18, 2026

Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, Technique T1068 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Windows privilege escalation vulnerability exploited by Carberp.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.

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Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware2

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.

EXTERNAL REFERENCES

MITRE CVE

cve.org · CVE-2010-3338

NVD

nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-3338

MITRE CWE · CWE-269

cwe.mitre.org

securitytracker.com

securitytracker.com/id?1024874

US Government Resource

us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA10-348A.html

docs.microsoft.com

docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2010/ms10-092

oval.cisecurity.org

oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A12304

Windows Task Scheduler privilege escalation

IdentifiersCVE-2010-3338CWE-269