CVE-2018-8453
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 21 July 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
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 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 70.04% probability · 99th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 17 July 2019
- CISA KEV
- Listed 21 January 2022 · due 21 July 2022 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Affected
- microsoft/windows 10 1507 · microsoft/windows 10 1607 · microsoft/windows 10 1703 · microsoft/windows 10 1709 · microsoft/windows 10 1803 · microsoft/windows 10 1809 · microsoft/windows 7 · microsoft/windows 8.1 · microsoft/windows rt 8.1 · microsoft/windows server 1709 · microsoft/windows server 1803 · microsoft/windows server 2008 · microsoft/windows server 2012 · microsoft/windows server 2016 · microsoft/windows server 2019
- Source
- secure@microsoft.com
EPSS 70.0% since 27 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-2018-8453
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://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153669/Microsoft-Windows-NtUserSetWindowFNID-Win32k-User-Callback.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105467Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041828Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8453Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://securelist.com/cve-2018-8453-used-in-targeted-attackExploit, Technical Description, Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153669/Microsoft-Windows-NtUserSetWindowFNID-Win32k-User-Callback.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105467Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041828Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8453Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://securelist.com/cve-2018-8453-used-in-targeted-attackExploit, Technical Description, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8453US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.