CVE-2018-8639
Microsoft Windows: Win32k Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
As of , CVE-2018-8639 in Microsoft Windows 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 March 2025
- US federal deadline
- 24 March 202521 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 7 April 2025.
- EPSS score
- 0.22Higher than 97% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
- Public exploit
- None foundNeither Metasploit nor Exploit-DB lists one.
- Fix
- Vendor advice: msrc.microsoft.comLinks below, from CISA's entry.
What CISA says to do
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
CISA's required action
What the flaw is
Microsoft Windows Win32k contains an improper resource shutdown or release vulnerability that allows for local, authenticated privilege escalation. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode.
CISA's 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. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8641.
The CVE record's description, from microsoft
- CVE published
- 12 December 2018
- Assigned by
- microsoft
- CVSS
- 8.4 High (CVSS 3.1, from CISA-ADP)
- CWE-404
- Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
- CISA SSVC, exploitation
- active
- CISA SSVC, automatable
- no
- CISA SSVC, technical impact
- total
Timeline
- The CVE record was published.
- 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.
Windows: other exploited entries
| Vulnerability | Product | Our group | Listed | Deadline | EPSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2025-60710Link Following | Microsoft Windows | Patch nowRansomware use, listed within a year | 0.05 | ||
| CVE-2008-4250Buffer Overflow | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.99; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.99 | ||
| CVE-2008-0015Video ActiveX Control Remote Code Execution | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.77; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.77 | ||
| CVE-2013-3918Out-of-Bounds Write | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.74; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.74 | ||
| CVE-2010-2568Remote Code Execution | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.91; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.91 | ||
| CVE-2015-0016TS WebProxy Directory Traversal | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.76; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.76 | ||
| CVE-2015-2426Adobe Type Manager Library Remote Code Execution | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.87; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.87 | ||
| CVE-2014-6332Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) Automation Array Remote Code Execution | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.95; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.95 | ||
| CVE-2017-0146SMB Remote Code Execution | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.90; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.90 | ||
| CVE-2014-4114Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) Remote Code Execution | Microsoft Windows | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.82; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.82 |
Read further
- CVE recordcve.org
- NVD entrynvd.nist.gov
- CISA's catalogcisa.gov
- EPSS for this CVEapi.first.org