CVE-2016-7255
Microsoft Win32k: Privilege Escalation
As of , CVE-2016-7255 in Microsoft Win32k is on CISA's list of exploited vulnerabilities: CISA listed it on . Our patch-first group: Patch this week.
- Exploited
- Yes: CISA listed it on 3 November 2021
- US federal deadline
- 3 May 2022181 days after CISA listed it. US federal civilian agencies must fix it by then.
- Used in ransomware campaigns
- KnownCISA changed it from Unknown to Known on 9 September 2026.
- EPSS score
- 0.81Higher than 99% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
- EPSS when listed
- Not availableCISA listed it before 4 February 2022, where the EPSS files we read begin.
- Public exploit
- 3 Exploit-DB entries
- Fix
- No vendor link in CISA's entry
What CISA says to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CISA's required action
What the flaw is
Microsoft Win32k kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory which allows for privilege escalation. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to run code in kernel mode.
CISA's description
The kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607, and Windows Server 2016 allow local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
The CVE record's description, from microsoft
- CVE published
- 10 November 2016
- Assigned by
- microsoft
- CVSS
- 7.8 High (CVSS 3.1, from CISA-ADP)
- CWE-264
- Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls
- CISA SSVC, exploitation
- active
- CISA SSVC, automatable
- no
- CISA SSVC, technical impact
- total
Timeline
- Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 40745).
- The CVE record was published.
- Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 40823).
- Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 41015).
- CISA added it to its list of exploited vulnerabilities.
- The US federal deadline to fix it.
- CISA changed its entry. Ransomware use: Unknown to Known.
Public exploits
Facts from Metasploit's module list and Exploit-DB's index; we never copy exploit code.
- Exploit-DB: Microsoft Windows Kernel - 'win32k.sys NtSetWindowLongPtr' Local Privilege Escalation (MS16-135) (2)EDB-ID 41015, 8 January 2017
- Exploit-DB: Microsoft Windows Kernel - 'win32k.sys NtSetWindowLongPtr' Local Privilege Escalation (MS16-135) (1)EDB-ID 40823, 24 November 2016
- Exploit-DB: Microsoft Windows Kernel - 'win32k' Denial of Service (MS16-135)EDB-ID 40745, 9 November 2016
Win32k: other exploited entries
| Vulnerability | Product | Our group | Listed | Deadline | EPSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2014-4113Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.87; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.87 | ||
| CVE-2018-8120Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.73; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.73 | ||
| CVE-2015-1701Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.56; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.56 | ||
| CVE-2018-8453Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.70; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.70 | ||
| CVE-2013-3660Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekMetasploit module; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.39 | ||
| CVE-2022-21882Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.59 | 0.59 | ||
| CVE-2019-1458Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.74 | 0.74 | ||
| CVE-2021-1732Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.78 | 0.78 | ||
| CVE-2019-0808Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.53 | 0.53 | ||
| CVE-2020-1054Privilege Escalation | Microsoft Win32k | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.54 | 0.54 |
Read further
- CVE recordcve.org
- NVD entrynvd.nist.gov
- CISA's catalogcisa.gov
- EPSS for this CVEapi.first.org