{"id":"CVE-2018-8120","url":"https://www.cyber-defence.io/tools/cve/CVE-2018-8120","generatedAt":"2026-10-29T00:37:24.196Z","title":"Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability","description":"An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka \"Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.\" This affects Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8124, CVE-2018-8164, CVE-2018-8166.","published":"2018-05-09T19:29:01.000Z","lastModified":"2026-08-13T05:17:19.000Z","status":"Analyzed","sourceIdentifier":"secure@microsoft.com","cvss":{"version":"3.1","score":7,"severity":"HIGH","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"},"cwe":["CWE-404"],"affected":["microsoft/windows 7","microsoft/windows server 2008"],"epss":{"score":0.73288,"percentile":0.99457,"date":"2026-10-27","history":[]},"kev":{"listed":true,"dateAdded":"2022-03-15","dueDate":"2022-04-05","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Known","notes":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.\nhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8120"},"exploits":{"count":1,"verified":true,"firstPublished":"2018-10-22","source":"Exploit-DB (https://gitlab.com/exploit-database/exploitdb)","entries":[{"edbId":45653,"kind":"exploit","title":"Microsoft Windows - SetImeInfoEx Win32k NULL Pointer Dereference (Metasploit)","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45653","sourceUrl":"https://gitlab.com/exploit-database/exploitdb/-/blob/main/exploits/windows/local/45653.rb","file":"exploits/windows/local/45653.rb","published":"2018-10-22","added":"2018-10-22","updated":"2018-10-22","author":"Metasploit","type":"local","platform":"windows","port":null,"verified":true,"codes":["CVE-2018-8120"],"tags":"Local","aliases":null,"applicationUrl":null,"screenshotUrl":null,"referenceUrl":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/3cee96d8ed10c1bc2b490f5e9806d4142f7edc39/modules/exploits/windows/local/ms18_8120_win32k_privesc.rb"}]},"verdict":{"level":"urgent","text":"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."},"changes":[],"references":[{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104034","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"],"source":"secure@microsoft.com"},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040849","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"],"source":"secure@microsoft.com"},{"url":"https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8120","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"],"source":"secure@microsoft.com"},{"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45653/","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"],"source":"secure@microsoft.com"},{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104034","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"],"source":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040849","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"],"source":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"},{"url":"https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8120","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"],"source":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"},{"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45653/","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"],"source":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8120","tags":["US Government Resource"],"source":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0"}],"sources":{"nvd":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8120","epss":"https://www.first.org/epss/","kev":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","exploitdb":"https://www.exploit-db.com/"},"licence":"CC BY 4.0 — link back to the CVE Explorer if you publish the results; upstream data remains subject to its own terms."}