How severe is CVE-2010-0232?

CVE-2010-0232 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2010-0232 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2010-0232 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-03-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2010-0232?

CVE-2010-0232 primarily affects Microsoft Windows 2000. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2010-0232?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2010-0232 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2010-0232 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2010-0263. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-03-03).

When was CVE-2010-0232 published?

CVE-2010-0232 was published on 2010-01-21 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2010-0232

CVE-2010-0232 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000 with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2022-03-03).

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 29% (98th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2022-03-03)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2010-0263
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2022-03-03)
Affected product: Microsoft Windows 2000
Published: 2010-01-21
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The kernel in Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 through Windows 7, including Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2, and Windows Server 2008 Gold and SP2, when access to 16-bit applications is enabled on a 32-bit x86 platform, does not properly validate certain BIOS calls, which allows local users to gain privileges by crafting a VDM_TIB data structure in the Thread Environment Block (TEB), and then calling the NtVdmControl function to start the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (aka NTVDM) subsystem, leading to improperly handled exceptions involving the #GP trap handler (nt!KiTrap0D), aka "Windows Kernel Exception Handler Vulnerability."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2010-0232?: The kernel in Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 through Windows 7, including Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2, and Windows Server 2008 Gold and SP2, when access to 16-bit applications is enabled on a 32-bit x86 platform, does not properly validate certain BIOS calls, which allows local users to gain privileges by crafting a VDM_TIB data structure in the Thread Environment Block (TEB), and then calling the NtVdmControl function to start the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (aka NTVDM) subsystem, leading to improperly handled exceptions involving the #GP trap handler (nt!KiTrap0D), aka "Windows Kernel Exception Handler Vulnerability."
How severe is CVE-2010-0232?: CVE-2010-0232 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2010-0232 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2010-0232 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-03-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2010-0232?: CVE-2010-0232 primarily affects Microsoft Windows 2000. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2010-0232?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2010-0232 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2010-0232 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2010-0263. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-03-03).
When was CVE-2010-0232 published?: CVE-2010-0232 was published on 2010-01-21 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_2000:-:sp4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_7:-:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_xp:-:sp2:*:*:-:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_xp:-:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*

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