CVE-2018-8120KEV · OVERDUECWE-404

Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

High · published May 9, 2018

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 7.0. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 99.5th percentile for exploit probability.

1662
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
7.0
EPSS
73%
Percentile
99.5
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 A sneaky flaw in Windows is causing serious elevation of privilege risks! 🔥 Just when you thought your server was safe, this vulnerability lets attackers pull off some pretty astonishing moves. Think of it like a disgruntled employee gaining access to the executive suite without the proper clearance — not cool! The Win32k component falters in managing memory objects, allowing unauthorized actions that should be off-limits. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges, potentially allowing them to install programs, view sensitive data, or make malicious changes that could cripple your system. This could lead to devastating consequences, making it vital to address this flaw without delay!

Put simply

Think of it like a disgruntled employee gaining access to the executive suite without the proper clearance — not cool! The Win32k component falters in managing memory objects, allowing unauthorized actions that should be off-limits. This elevation of privilege vulnerability occurs in Windows when the Win32k component mishandles objects in memory. By exploiting this flaw, a user can gain elevated access to the system, bypassing normal security restrictions.

What to do

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges, potentially allowing them to install programs, view sensitive data, or make malicious changes that could cripple your system. This could lead to devastating consequences, making it vital to address this flaw without delay! To protect your systems, update your Windows installations immediately to the latest patches available. Specifically, ensure you’re running updated versions on Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2. Regular security audits will also help in mitigating risks associated with this vulnerability. You've got this! Follow these steps to secure your system and bolster your defenses against potential attacks. 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
7.0 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.73288 · 99.5th percentile
Weakness
CWE-404 · Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
Published
2018-05-09T23:29Z
KEV added
2022-03-15 · due 2022-04-05
Affected products (4)
ProductVersionsFixed in
microsoft/windows_7all versions—
microsoft/windows_server_2008all versions—
microsoft/windows_server_2008all versions—
microsoft/windows_server_2008all versions—
References (9)
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 15 MAR 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by Apr 5
    kev
  • 09 MAY 19:00Z
    An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Win32k Elevation of…
    cvelistv5