Microsoft · DirectX Graphics Kernel (DXGKRNL)
CVE-2018-8405
Microsoft DirectX Graphics Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
What it is
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the DirectX Graphics Kernel (DXGKRNL) driver improperly handles objects in memory, aka "DirectX Graphics Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8400, CVE-2018-8401, CVE-2018-8406.
CISA: An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the DirectX Graphics Kernel (DXGKRNL) driver improperly handles objects in memory.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Deadline for US federal agencies: April 18, 2022
More exploited flaws from Microsoft
| Added | Vulnerability | Product | Severity | Attack chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2022 | DirectX Graphics Kernel Privilege Escalation | DirectX Graphics Kernel (DXGKRNL) | High 7.8 | 3.4% |
| Oct 13, 2026 | Command Injection | Windows | High 8.8 | 9.8% |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Code Injection | SharePoint | High 8.8 | 8.2% |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Link Following | Windows | High 7.8 | 0.4% |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Heap-Based Buffer Overflow | Windows | High 7.8 | 0.4% |
| Aug 26, 2026 | Remote Code Execution | SQL Server | High 8.8 | 57% |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Double Free | Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Service Extensions | Critical 9.8 | 77% |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Weak Authentication | SharePoint | Critical 9.1 | 70% |
Sources: Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (CISA, public domain), CVE records (cve.org) and EPSS (FIRST). The chance of attacks is the EPSS estimate that someone will try to exploit the flaw in the next 30 days.