CVE-2018-8589

Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation

7.8 HIGHActively exploited (CISA KEV)EPSS 3.02%

Published14 Nov 2018
Added to CISA KEV23 May 2022
Remediation due13 Jun 2022

Description

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.

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 7all versions

Microsoft Windows Server 2008r2

Remediation

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

Patch & vendor advisories

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8589

References

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8589PatchVendor Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8589US Government Resource
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105796Broken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1042140Broken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2018-8589 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2018-8589 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 23 May 2022.

How severe is CVE-2018-8589?

CVE-2018-8589 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated high. EPSS estimates a 3.02% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2018-8589?

Affected products include Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Server 2008.

How do I fix CVE-2018-8589?

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-2018-8589 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.