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Vulnerability record · CVE-2004-0213 · published 6 August 2004

CVE-2004-0213: Microsoft windows 2000 missing authentication for critical function vulnerability

Microsoft · Windows 2000

Utility Manager in Windows 2000 launches winhlp32.exe while Utility Manager is running with raised privileges, which allows local users to gain system privileges via a "Shatter" style attack that sends a Windows message to cause Utility Manager to launch winhlp32 by directly accessing the context sensitive help and bypassing the GUI, then sending another message to winhlp32 in order to open a user-selected file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2003-0908.

7.8 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 20% · top 2.6% CWE-306 · Missing authentication for critical function
7.8CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 7.2
20%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
12References
16 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

Utility Manager in Windows 2000 launches winhlp32.exe while Utility Manager is running with raised privileges, which allows local users to gain system privileges via a "Shatter" style attack that sends a Windows message to cause Utility Manager to launch winhlp32 by directly accessing the context sensitive help and bypassing the GUI, then sending another message to winhlp32 in order to open a user-selected file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2003-0908.

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=108975382413405&w=2 Mailing List
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/868580 Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA04-196A.html Broken LinkPatchThird Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2004/ms04-019 PatchVendor Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/16592 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A2495 Broken Link
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=108975382413405&w=2 Mailing List
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/868580 Third Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA04-196A.html Broken LinkPatchThird Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2004/ms04-019 PatchVendor Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/16592 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A2495 Broken Link

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Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2004-0213), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.