How severe is CVE-2018-8589?

CVE-2018-8589 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH). EPSS estimates a 3.0% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

CVE-2018-8589: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability is confirmed as actively exploited and is listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Added to KEV

2022-05-23

Remediation due

2022-06-13

Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA notes
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8589

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.

Severity

CVSS 3.1 · CISA7.8 HIGH

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

SSVC · CISA-ADP

Exploitationactive

Automatableno

Technical impacttotal

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions
Microsoft	Windows Server 2008	32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2 x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
Microsoft	Windows 7	32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
Microsoft	Windows Server 2008 R2	Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1 x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)

References

3 Links

Vulnerability databases

Other references

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

Record Details

Published

2018-11-14

Last updated

2025-10-21

Assigner (CNA)

microsoft

Credited to

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CVE record data © The MITRE Corporation, used under the CVE Terms of Use. Exploited-in-the-wild data from the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (CC0). Exploit prediction scores by FIRST EPSS (first.org/epss). This site is not endorsed or certified by MITRE, NVD, CISA, or FIRST.