January 21, 2022 · Applied Cybernetics Group
CVE-2018-8453 — Microsoft Win32k
known ransomware use
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
- Added to KEV
2022-01-21- Federal due date
2022-07-21- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Win32k
- EPSS
- 99.3th percentile (score 0.700, as of
2026-09-16) - NVD CVSS v3.1
- 7.8 (HIGH)
- Ransomware use
- Known
- Upstream
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8453
CISA short description
Microsoft Windows Win32k contains a vulnerability that allows an attacker to escalate privileges.
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
NVD 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.