Microsoft · Win32k
CVE-2018-8589
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
What it is
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles calls to Win32k.sys, aka "Windows Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2.
CISA: A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles calls to Win32k.sys. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run remote code in the security context of the local system.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Deadline for US federal agencies: June 13, 2022
More exploited flaws from Microsoft
| Added | Vulnerability | Product | Severity | Attack chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 22, 2023 | Privilege Escalation | Win32k | High 7.8 | 14% |
| May 9, 2023 | Privilege Escalation | Win32k | High 7.8 | 41% |
| May 25, 2022 | Privilege Escalation | Win32k | High 8.8 | 15% |
| May 4, 2022 | Privilege Escalation | Win32k | High 7.8 | 87% |
| Apr 25, 2022 | Privilege Escalation | Win32k | High 7.8 | 1.6% |
| Apr 25, 2022 | Privilege Escalation | Win32k | High 7.8 | 1.6% |
| Mar 28, 2022 | Privilege Escalation | Win32k | High 7.8 | 39% |
| Mar 15, 2022 | Memory Corruption | Win32k | High 8.2 | 10% |
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.