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Findings

CVE-2014-1812

Microsoft Windows Group Policy Preferences Password Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published May 14, 2014 · updated Jun 16, 2026 · microsoft windows 7

The Group Policy implementation in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2 does not properly handle distribution of passwords, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive credential information and consequently gain privileges by leveraging access to the SYSVOL share, as exploited in the wild in May 2014, aka "Group Policy Preferences Password Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. May 14, 2014 · Catalog

    Detected

    The Group Policy implementation in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2 does not properly handle distribution of passwords, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive credential information and consequently gain privileges by leveraging access to the SYSVOL share, as exploited in

  2. Nov 3, 2021 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. May 3, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    The Group Policy implementation in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2 does not properly handle distribution of passwords, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive credential information and consequently gain privileges by leveraging access to the SYSVOL share, as exploited in

Required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA due date May 3, 2022

Affected

  • cpe microsoft/windows 7version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows 8version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows 8.1version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008r2
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2012version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2012r2
  • vendor Microsoft Windowsversion unspecified

Sources

  • CISA KEVCVE-2014-1812

    Microsoft Windows Active Directory contains a privilege escalation vulnerability due to the way it distributes passwords that are configured using Group Policy preferences. An authenticated attacker who successfully exploits the vulnerability could decrypt the passwords and use them to elevate privileges on the domain.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgCVE-2014-1812

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSCVE-2014-1812

    30-day exploitation probability 64.9%

    first.org
  • Metasploit Modulesauxiliary_scanner/smb/smb_enum_gpp

    Public module reference (normal). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDCVE-2014-1812

    The Group Policy implementation in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2 does not properly handle distribution of passwords, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sen

    nvd.nist.gov

References