CVE-2005-2120
MediumPublic exploitStack-based buffer overflow in the Plug and Play (PnP) service (UMPNPMGR.DLL) in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, and XP SP1 and SP2, allows remote or local authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code via a large number of "\" (backslash) characters in a registry key name,…
Published Oct 13, 2005 · Updated Apr 15, 2026
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2005-2120 is a medium-severity vulnerability (CVSS 6.5 v2) affecting Windows 2000 (Microsoft), Windows Xp (Microsoft).
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 62% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
CVSS v2
6.5
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
62%
Higher than 99.1% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
No known
Not in a known-exploited catalog
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2005-2120 brief as a PDF
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Description
Stack-based buffer overflow in the Plug and Play (PnP) service (UMPNPMGR.DLL) in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, and XP SP1 and SP2, allows remote or local authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code via a large number of "\" (backslash) characters in a registry key name, which triggers the overflow in a wsprintfW function call.
Affected Products
3 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 2000Microsoft | See advisory | n/a |
| Windows XpMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Oct 13, 2005
Last updated
Apr 15, 2026
References
- advisoryVU#214572
- advisoryTA05-284A
- patch17166
- patch1015042
- patchAD20051011c
FAQ
Common Questions.
Stack-based buffer overflow in the Plug and Play (PnP) service (UMPNPMGR.DLL) in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, and XP SP1 and SP2, allows remote or local authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code via a large number of "\" (backslash) characters in a registry key name, which triggers the overflow in a wsprintfW f…
Affected: Windows 2000 (Microsoft); Windows Xp (Microsoft). The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
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