CVE-2018-8440

Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation

7.8 HIGHActively exploited (CISA KEV)Used in ransomwarePublic exploitEPSS 18.4%

Published12 Sept 2018
Added to CISA KEV28 Mar 2022
Remediation due18 Apr 2022

Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles calls to Advanced Local Procedure Call (ALPC), aka "Windows ALPC Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers.

CVSS 3.1 breakdown

Attack vectorLocal

Attack complexityLow

Privileges requiredLow

User interactionNone

ScopeUnchanged

ConfidentialityHigh

IntegrityHigh

AvailabilityHigh

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

Microsoft Windows 10 1607all versions

Microsoft Windows 10 1703all versions

Microsoft Windows 10 1709all versions

Microsoft Windows 10 1803all versions

Microsoft Windows 7all versions

Microsoft Windows 8.1all versions

Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1all versions

Microsoft Windows Server 2008r2

Microsoft Windows Server 2012r2

Microsoft Windows Server 2016all versions

Remediation

No fixed version is recorded in the NVD data. Check the vendor advisory for the latest guidance.

Patch & vendor advisories

References

https://blog.0patch.com/2018/08/how-we-micropatched-publicly-dropped.htmlExploitPatchThird Party Advisory
https://blog.0patch.com/2018/09/comparing-our-micropatch-with.htmlThird Party Advisory
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8440PatchVendor Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8440US Government Resource
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105153Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041578Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2018-8440 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2018-8440 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 28 Mar 2022. It has been used in ransomware campaigns.

How severe is CVE-2018-8440?

CVE-2018-8440 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated high. EPSS estimates a 18.4% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2018-8440?

Affected products include Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1703, Microsoft Windows 10 1709, Microsoft Windows 10 1803, Microsoft Windows 7, and 5 more.

How do I fix CVE-2018-8440?

Apply the vendor's patch or advisory guidance, then verify no affected versions remain across your devices.

How Secuno handles this

Secuno correlates vulnerabilities like CVE-2018-8440 against the real software inventory on every managed device, every day. Rather than a static severity, each match is scored in context: exploit availability, EPSS, the asset's exposure, and business criticality decide where it lands in the queue. Because it is on the CISA KEV list, Secuno flags any affected asset as top-priority automatically. If an affected version is present anywhere across your portfolio, it surfaces automatically with a prioritised remediation path.

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Data from the NVD, CISA KEV catalog and FIRST EPSS. CVSS 3.1 base score shown where available.