privately disclosed

The tag 'privately disclosed' is used on WindowsForum.com in the context of Microsoft security bulletins, specifically referring to vulnerabilities that were reported to Microsoft privately before being publicly disclosed. In the example of MS12-042, a privately reported vulnerability in the Windows kernel could allow elevation of privilege if an attacker with valid logon credentials runs a specially crafted application locally. This tag highlights the distinction between vulnerabilities discovered through responsible disclosure programs and those found publicly, emphasizing the importance of security updates that address such privately reported issues.