---
id: CVE-2018-8453
title: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k
  component fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Win32k Elevation of
  Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2,
  Windows RT…
summary: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k
  component fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Win32k Elevation of
  Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2,
  Windows RT…
severity: high
cvss: 7.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
vendor: microsoft
product: windows_10_1507
affected:
  - windows_10_1507
  - windows_10_1607
  - windows_10_1703
  - windows_10_1709
  - windows_10_1803
  - windows_10_1809
  - windows_7
  - windows_8.1
  - windows_rt_8.1
  - windows_server_1709
  - windows_server_1803
  - windows_server_2008
  - windows_server_2008 = r2
  - windows_server_2012
  - windows_server_2012 = r2
  - windows_server_2016
  - windows_server_2019
published: '2018-10-10'
updated: '2026-08-13'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8453'
references:
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153669/Microsoft-Windows-NtUserSetWindowFNID-Win32k-User-Callback.html
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: 'http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105467'
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: 'http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041828'
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8453
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: 'https://securelist.com/cve-2018-8453-used-in-targeted-attack'
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153669/Microsoft-Windows-NtUserSetWindowFNID-Win32k-User-Callback.html
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105467'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041828'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8453
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://securelist.com/cve-2018-8453-used-in-targeted-attack'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8453
    label: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
tags:
  - nvd
  - kev
  - in-the-wild
  - exploit-available
epss: 0.70042
epssPercentile: 0.99363
kev: true
kevDateAdded: '2022-01-21'
kevDueDate: '2022-07-21'
kevRansomware: true
exploited: true
exploitAvailable: true
zeroDay: true
ingestedAt: '2026-08-13T06:00:54.397Z'
exploits:
  exploitdb: true
  github: 3
  githubRepos:
    - 'https://github.com/Mkv4/cve-2018-8453-exp'
    - 'https://github.com/ze0r/cve-2018-8453-exp'
    - 'https://github.com/thepwnrip/leHACK-Analysis-of-CVE-2018-8453'
  metasploit:
    - exploit/windows/local/cve_2018_8453_win32k_priv_esc
  checkedAt: '2026-09-21T15:23:39.209Z'
---

## Overview

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers.

## Affected

- `windows_10_1507`
- `windows_10_1607`
- `windows_10_1703`
- `windows_10_1709`
- `windows_10_1803`
- `windows_10_1809`
- `windows_7`
- `windows_8.1`
- `windows_rt_8.1`
- `windows_server_1709`
- `windows_server_1803`
- `windows_server_2008`
- `windows_server_2008 = r2`
- `windows_server_2012`
- `windows_server_2012 = r2`
- `windows_server_2016`
- `windows_server_2019`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.