CVE-2022-30165: Windows 10 Kerberos Privilege Escalation

CVE-2022-30165 Overview

CVE-2022-30165 is a Windows Kerberos Elevation of Privilege vulnerability that affects multiple versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems, including both client and server editions. This vulnerability exists within the Kerberos authentication protocol implementation in Windows and can be exploited by an authenticated attacker with low privileges to escalate their access rights on affected systems.

Critical Impact

An authenticated attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges via the Kerberos authentication mechanism, potentially gaining elevated access across the Windows domain environment.

Affected Products

• Microsoft Windows 10 (versions 1607, 1809, 20H2, 21H1, 21H2)
• Microsoft Windows 11 (ARM64 and x64 architectures)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019
• Microsoft Windows Server 2022 (including Azure edition)

Discovery Timeline

• June 15, 2022 - CVE-2022-30165 published to NVD
• January 02, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-30165

Vulnerability Analysis

This elevation of privilege vulnerability resides in the Windows Kerberos authentication subsystem. The vulnerability allows an attacker who has already obtained low-level authenticated access to a Windows system to manipulate Kerberos logon buffer handling to gain elevated privileges. The attack can be initiated remotely over the network and requires no user interaction, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where Kerberos is the default authentication protocol for Active Directory domains.

The vulnerability is associated with improper handling of redirected logon buffers within the Kerberos authentication flow. When exploited successfully, an attacker can achieve unauthorized access to resources and system capabilities that would normally be restricted to higher-privileged accounts.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2022-30165 stems from improper validation and handling of Kerberos logon buffers during the authentication process. When a redirected logon buffer is processed, the system fails to properly verify the privilege context, allowing an authenticated user to manipulate the buffer contents in a way that results in privilege escalation. This flaw in the Kerberos SSP (Security Support Provider) implementation enables the bypass of intended security boundaries.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires the attacker to have valid low-privileged credentials on the target system or domain. The exploitation flow involves:

1. The attacker authenticates to the target system using legitimate but low-privileged credentials
2. The attacker crafts a malicious Kerberos logon request that manipulates the redirected logon buffer
3. The vulnerable Kerberos implementation processes the request without proper privilege validation
4. The attacker's session is elevated to higher privileges

The attack requires no user interaction and operates with low complexity, as the attacker only needs network access to Kerberos authentication services (typically TCP port 88 for Kerberos and related domain controller ports).

Technical details regarding the specific exploitation mechanism can be found in the Packet Storm Security advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-30165

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual Kerberos authentication events (Event ID 4768, 4769) with anomalous ticket characteristics
• Suspicious privilege escalation patterns in Security Event Log (Event ID 4672, 4673)
• Anomalous lsass.exe behavior or memory access patterns related to Kerberos operations
• Unexpected service account or user account privilege changes following authentication events

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Windows Security Event Logs for Kerberos ticket-granting service (TGS) request anomalies
• Implement behavioral detection for privilege escalation attempts following standard authentication
• Deploy endpoint detection rules targeting abnormal Kerberos SSP activity
• Use SentinelOne's behavioral AI to identify post-authentication privilege escalation patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable advanced auditing for Kerberos authentication events on domain controllers
• Configure alerts for Event ID 4769 (Kerberos Service Ticket Operations) with unexpected privilege flags
• Monitor for suspicious lateral movement patterns that may indicate compromised credentials being escalated
• Implement SentinelOne Singularity platform for real-time detection of privilege escalation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-30165

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the Microsoft security update released in June 2022 to all affected Windows systems immediately
• Prioritize patching domain controllers and systems that handle Kerberos authentication
• Review and audit privileged accounts for any unauthorized access or changes
• Implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Kerberos authentication services

Patch Information

Microsoft has released security updates to address this vulnerability as part of the June 2022 Patch Tuesday release. The patches are available through Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), and the Microsoft Update Catalog. Organizations should consult the Microsoft Security Update Guide for detailed patch information and download links specific to each affected Windows version.

Affected systems include:

• Windows 10 versions 1607, 1809, 20H2, 21H1, and 21H2
• Windows 11 (all editions)
• Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to Kerberos authentication services (TCP 88) to only authorized systems
• Implement strict network segmentation between client systems and domain controllers
• Enable Protected Users security group membership for high-value accounts to limit credential exposure
• Monitor and limit the use of unconstrained delegation in the domain environment

# Audit for systems missing the June 2022 security update
# PowerShell command to check installed updates
Get-HotFix | Where-Object {$_.InstalledOn -gt "2022-06-01"} | Select-Object HotFixID, InstalledOn

# Enable advanced Kerberos auditing via Group Policy
# Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Advanced Audit Policy Configuration > Logon/Logoff
# Enable: Audit Kerberos Authentication Service
# Enable: Audit Kerberos Service Ticket Operations