CVE-2018-8611: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
- Is it exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 24 May 2022, 1,259 days after the CVE record was published.
- How likely is exploitation in the next 30 days?
- 4.2%
EPSS score, percentile 90.9 of all scored records
- How severe?
- 7.8 High
CVSS v3.1 base score, from CISA's enrichment of the record
- What should I do?
CISA deadline 14 Jun 2022. Apply updates per vendor instructions.
The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.
- Which versions are affected?
Affected
- 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
- x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
- (Server Core installation)
- Windows RT 8.1
- 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
- 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
and 25 more in the table below
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
What to do
Required action, set by CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CISA due date for this action: 14 June 2022.
Advisories and patches
The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.
Linked from CISA's catalog entry
Affected products and versions
As listed in the CVE record.
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 |
| Affected | x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | (Server Core installation) |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | Windows RT 8.1 |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 |
| Affected | 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) |
| Affected | Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2 |
| Affected | x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 |
| Affected | x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | (Server Core installation) |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | (Server Core installation) |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | 32-bit systems |
| Affected | x64-based systems |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | (Server Core installation) |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1 |
| Affected | x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 |
| Affected | x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | Version 1607 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | Version 1703 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems |
| Affected | Version 1709 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems |
| Affected | Version 1803 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems |
And 3 more version entries in the CVE record.
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | version 1709 (Server Core Installation) |
| Affected | version 1803 (Server Core Installation) |
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
About this vulnerability
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel fails to properly handle objects in memory.
Summary: CISA's KEV catalog, as of 28 Oct 2026.
- CISA added CVE-2018-8611 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 24 May 2022.
- CISA's ransomware flag for this entry is "Unknown": no evidence of ransomware use in the catalog, which is not proof of none.
- The due date CISA sets for the required action is 14 Jun 2022.
- The CVE record was published on 12 Dec 2018, 1,259 days before it was added to KEV.
- The CVE record carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (High), taken from CISA's enrichment of the record.
- FIRST's EPSS model puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 4.2% (percentile 90.9), as of 28 Oct 2026.
- CISA's SSVC assessment in the CVE record: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact total.
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Description
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Windows Kernel 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.
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Weakness
- CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
CWE and CAPEC are maintained by MITRE; the entries are those named in the CVE record and the KEV entry.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 12 Dec 2018 | CVE record published |
| 24 May 2022 | Added to CISA KEV |
| 14 Jun 2022 | CISA due date for the required action |
| 21 Oct 2025 | CVE record last updated |
References
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