CVE-2016-3309
Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 5 April 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
The kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2; Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1; Windows 7 SP1; Windows 8.1; Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2; Windows RT 8.1; and Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607 allow local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-3308, CVE-2016-3310, and CVE-2016-3311.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 20.47% probability · 98th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · first 6 October 2017
- CISA KEV
- Listed 15 March 2022 · due 5 April 2022 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Affected
- microsoft/windows 10 1507 · microsoft/windows 10 1511 · microsoft/windows 10 1607 · microsoft/windows 7 · microsoft/windows 8.1 · microsoft/windows rt 8.1 · microsoft/windows server 2008 · microsoft/windows server 2012 · microsoft/windows vista
- Source
- secure@microsoft.com
EPSS 20.5% since 30 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3309
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92297Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036572Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-098Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42960/Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92297Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036572Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-098Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42960/Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-3309US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.