HIGH KEV Used in ransomware campaigns ⚠
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
Published May 9, 2018 ·Due Apr 5, 2022
7.0
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 73.43%
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.
Affected products
-
- Version 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version x64-based Systems Service Pack 1StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
-
- Version 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version x64-based Systems Service Pack 2StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
-
- Version Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version x64-based Systems Service Pack 1StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Windows 7 | n/a |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 | n/a |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 R2 | n/a |
|
OR
- n/a
- n/a
- r2
- r2
No data.
No Red Hat product state for this CVE.
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
7.0 HIGH NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity High
Privileges Required Low
User Interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact High
Integrity Impact High
Availability Impact High
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
7.2 HIGH NVD
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Access Vector Local
Access Complexity Low
Authentication None
Confidentiality Impact Complete
Integrity Impact Complete
Availability Impact Complete
Listed in CISA KEV KEV Used in ransomware campaigns ⚠
Date Added
Mar 15, 2022
Patch Due
Apr 5, 2022
Required Action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CISA SSVC (Vulnrichment)
Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization from CISA ADP.
Exploitation
ActiveAutomatable
NoTechnical Impact
TotalDecision
n/aAssessed Feb 7, 2025 · SSVC 2.0.3
73.43% 0.73434
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 2, 2026.
EPSS probability 0.73434
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (22 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 2026 | 73.43% (0.73434) | 99.45th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 73.72% (0.73721) | 99.41th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Nov 21, 2025 | 94.16% (0.94158) | 99.91th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 93.14% (0.93137) | 99.85th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 94.20% (0.94200) | 99.91th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 97.47% (0.97472) | 99.97th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 4, 2024 | 97.42% (0.97418) | 99.94th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 30, 2023 | 97.43% (0.97430) | 99.92th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 8, 2023 | 97.45% (0.97445) | 99.92th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 5, 2023 | 97.47% (0.97467) | 99.94th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 4, 2023 | 97.02% (0.97021) | 99.63th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 8, 2023 | 97.47% (0.97467) | 99.93th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 21, 2023 | 97.45% (0.97450) | 99.91th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 8, 2023 | 97.48% (0.97480) | 99.94th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 97.47% (0.97470) | 99.92th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 60.40% (0.60397) | 98.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 60.40% (0.60397) | 98.62th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 79.93% (0.79933) | 99.85th | v1 |
| Sep 16, 2021 | 79.93% (0.79933) | 99.93th | v1 |
| Sep 14, 2021 | 35.03% (0.35026) | 99.01th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 79.93% (0.79933) | 99.93th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 79.93% (0.79933) | 0.00th | v1 |
Weaknesses (1)
References (5)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104034 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDBroken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040849 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKBroken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8120 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchVendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8120 government-resourceUS Government Resource
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45653/ exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104034 | vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDBroken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry | |
| http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040849 | vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKBroken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry | |
| https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8120 | x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchVendor Advisory | |
| https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8120 | government-resourceUS Government Resource | |
| https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45653/ | exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.
Sources
CVE.org / MITRE
Status PUBLISHED
Assigner microsoft
Published May 9, 2018
Updated Aug 13, 2026
Reserved Mar 14, 2018
Link CVE-2018-8120
CISA Vulnrichment
Updated Feb 7, 2025