CVE-2018-8256 — A remote code execution vulnerability exists when PowerShell improperly handles specially crafted files, aka "Microsoft PowerShell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Windows RT 8.1, PowerShell Core 6.0, Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive 1.2.2.0, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2019, Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, PowerShell Core 6.1, Windows 10 Servers, Windows 10, Windows 8.1

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HIGH

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when PowerShell improperly handles specially crafted files, aka "Microsoft PowerShell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Windows RT 8.1, PowerShell Core 6.0, Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive 1.2.2.0, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2019, Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, PowerShell Core 6.1, Windows 10 Servers, Windows 10, Windows 8.1

Published Nov 14, 2018

8.8

HIGH

CVSS 3.0

EPSS 22.64%

Description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when PowerShell improperly handles specially crafted files, aka "Microsoft PowerShell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Windows RT 8.1, PowerShell Core 6.0, Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive 1.2.2.0, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2019, Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, PowerShell Core 6.1, Windows 10 Servers, Windows 10, Windows 8.1.

Affected products

Vendor Microsoft Product Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive Default
n/a
- Version
  1.2.2.0
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product PowerShell Core Default
n/a
- Version
  6.0
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  6.1
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows 10 Default
n/a
- Version
  32-bit Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1703 for x64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1709 for x64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1803 for x64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  x64-based Systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows 10 Servers Default
n/a
- Version
  version 1709 (Server Core Installation)
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  version 1803 (Server Core Installation)
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows 7 Default
n/a
- Version
  32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows 8.1 Default
n/a
- Version
  32-bit systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  x64-based systems
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows RT 8.1 Default
n/a
- Version
  Windows RT 8.1
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows Server 2008 R2 Default
n/a
- Version
  Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
- Version
  x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows Server 2012 Default
n/a
- Version
  (Server Core installation)
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows Server 2012 R2 Default
n/a
- Version
  (Server Core installation)
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows Server 2016 Default
n/a
- Version
  (Server Core installation)
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -
Vendor Microsoft Product Windows Server 2019 Default
n/a
- Version
  (Server Core installation)
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -

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

Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
1.2.2.0	affected	-

Microsoft

PowerShell Core

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
6.0	affected	-
6.1	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows 10

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
32-bit Systems	affected	-
Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems	affected	-
Version 1607 for x64-based Systems	affected	-
Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems	affected	-
Version 1703 for x64-based Systems	affected	-
Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems	affected	-
Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems	affected	-
Version 1709 for x64-based Systems	affected	-
Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems	affected	-
Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems	affected	-
Version 1803 for x64-based Systems	affected	-
Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems	affected	-
Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems	affected	-
Version 1809 for x64-based Systems	affected	-
x64-based Systems	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows 10 Servers

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
version 1709 (Server Core Installation)	affected	-
version 1803 (Server Core Installation)	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows 7

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
32-bit Systems Service Pack 1	affected	-
x64-based Systems Service Pack 1	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows 8.1

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
32-bit systems	affected	-
x64-based systems	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows RT 8.1

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
Windows RT 8.1	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows Server 2008 R2

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1	affected	-
x64-based Systems Service Pack 1	affected	-
x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows Server 2012

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
(Server Core installation)	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows Server 2012 R2

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
(Server Core installation)	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows Server 2016

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
(Server Core installation)	affected	-

Microsoft

Windows Server 2019

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
(Server Core installation)	affected	-

Remediation

No remediation recorded yet.

Metrics

22.64% 0.22640

Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.

EPSS probability 0.22640

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 (46 key points)

Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.

Date	Score	Percentile	Model
Oct 1, 2026	22.64% (0.22640)	97.66th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Sep 22, 2026	22.64% (0.22640)	97.62th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Sep 21, 2026	20.42% (0.20419)	97.42th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Sep 6, 2026	22.64% (0.22640)	97.56th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Sep 5, 2026	20.42% (0.20419)	97.37th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Aug 30, 2026	22.64% (0.22640)	97.55th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Aug 28, 2026	20.42% (0.20419)	97.35th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Aug 24, 2026	22.64% (0.22640)	97.54th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Aug 23, 2026	20.42% (0.20419)	97.35th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Jun 15, 2026	22.64% (0.22640)	97.42th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
May 31, 2026	30.25% (0.30253)	96.77th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
May 2, 2026	31.28% (0.31277)	96.79th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Mar 8, 2026	32.45% (0.32455)	96.77th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Nov 8, 2025	26.63% (0.26626)	96.12th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Mar 30, 2025	17.36% (0.17365)	94.51th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Mar 29, 2025	31.43% (0.31429)	94.93th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Mar 17, 2025	17.36% (0.17365)	94.54th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Dec 17, 2024	68.92% (0.68919)	98.16th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Sep 23, 2024	11.65% (0.11651)	95.38th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Aug 29, 2024	13.54% (0.13541)	95.70th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Jul 3, 2024	16.77% (0.16766)	96.09th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Apr 27, 2024	18.38% (0.18383)	96.14th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Apr 6, 2024	15.04% (0.15037)	95.71th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Feb 23, 2024	16.54% (0.16540)	95.84th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Nov 7, 2023	15.72% (0.15724)	95.33th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Aug 14, 2023	15.62% (0.15619)	95.20th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Jul 31, 2023	19.05% (0.19053)	95.58th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Jul 8, 2023	18.88% (0.18881)	95.54th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Jun 9, 2023	14.32% (0.14321)	94.91th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
May 27, 2023	18.95% (0.18948)	95.49th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Apr 26, 2023	13.40% (0.13403)	94.71th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Mar 7, 2023	17.66% (0.17655)	95.25th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Mar 6, 2023	34.60% (0.34599)	97.77th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Dec 14, 2022	32.42% (0.32419)	97.57th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Oct 30, 2022	31.10% (0.31104)	97.49th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Sep 26, 2022	27.14% (0.27139)	97.06th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Aug 20, 2022	23.10% (0.23099)	96.51th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
May 10, 2022	21.36% (0.21361)	96.31th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Apr 1, 2022	17.27% (0.17269)	95.90th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 4, 2022	17.27% (0.17269)	93.17th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 3, 2022	17.55% (0.17549)	91.03th	v1
Jan 6, 2022	17.55% (0.17549)	90.92th	v1
Oct 11, 2021	17.55% (0.17549)	97.67th	v1
Oct 5, 2021	48.85% (0.48848)	99.57th	v1
Sep 1, 2021	17.55% (0.17549)	97.67th	v1
Apr 14, 2021	17.55% (0.17549)	0.00th	v1

Weaknesses (0)

No CWE recorded.

References (3)

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105781
vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1042108
vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8256
x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchVendor Advisory

Link	Providers	Tags
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105781		vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1042108		vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8256		x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchVendor Advisory

Change history (0)

No recorded changes yet.

Sources

CVE.org / MITRE

Status PUBLISHED

Assigner microsoft

Published Nov 14, 2018

Updated Aug 5, 2024

Reserved Mar 14, 2018

Link CVE-2018-8256

CISA Vulnrichment

Updated n/a

NVD

Status Modified

Modified Jun 17, 2026

Link CVE-2018-8256

Red Hat

Severity n/a

Public date n/a

Links CVE-2018-8256