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CVE-2018-8581

Microsoft Exchange Server Privilege Escalation

7.4 HIGHActively exploited (CISA KEV)Used in ransomwareEPSS 27.4%
  1. Published14 Nov 2018
  2. Added to CISA KEV3 Mar 2022
  3. Remediation due17 Mar 2022
Actively exploited (CISA KEV)

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange Server. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could attempt to impersonate any other user of the Exchange server.

Added to KEV: 3 Mar 2022Federal remediation due: 17 Mar 2022Used in ransomware

Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange Server, aka "Microsoft Exchange Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Exchange Server.

CVSS 3.1 breakdown

Attack vectorNetwork
Attack complexityHigh
Privileges requiredNone
User interactionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Affected products

Microsoft Exchange Server2010 · 2013 · 2016 · 2019

Remediation

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

References

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2018-8581 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2018-8581 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 3 Mar 2022. It has been used in ransomware campaigns.

How severe is CVE-2018-8581?

CVE-2018-8581 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.4, rated high. EPSS estimates a 27.4% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2018-8581?

Affected products include Microsoft Exchange Server.

How do I fix CVE-2018-8581?

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-2018-8581 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.