CVE-2018-8120

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to...

7.0 HighIn KEVPublic exploit

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 Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8124, CVE-2018-8164, CVE-2018-8166.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: High
Privileges needed: Low
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

73.3%Down 6.6 points since Apr 14, 2021

What each source reports

NVD Score used 7.0

Record: CVE-2018-8120
CVSS 3.1: 7.0 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 7.2 HighAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness: CWE-404
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List 7.0

Record: CVE-2018-8120
CVSS 3.1: 7.0 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-404
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2018-19796 7.0

Record: EUVD-2018-19796
CVSS 3.1: 7.0 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-v82r-2hh9-72g8 7.0

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to...

Record: GHSA-v82r-2hh9-72g8
CVSS 3.0: 7.0 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-404
Updated: 2026-11-02

CISA KEV No score

Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in memory.

Record: CVE-2018-8120
Weakness: CWE-404
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
Source	Link	Date
Metasploit	Windows SetImeInfoEx Win32k NULL Pointer Dereference	2018-05-09
PoC in GitHub	bigric3/cve-2018-8120	2018-05-17
PoC in GitHub	rip1s/CVE-2018-8120	2018-05-19
PoC in GitHub	ne1llee/cve-2018-8120	2018-06-05
PoC in GitHub	alpha1ab/CVE-2018-8120	2018-06-07
PoC in GitHub	EVOL4/CVE-2018-8120	2018-07-11
PoC in GitHub	ozkanbilge/CVE-2018-8120	2018-08-16
Exploit-DB	Microsoft Windows - SetImeInfoEx Win32k NULL Pointer Dereference (Metasploit)	2018-10-22
PoC in GitHub	qiantu88/CVE-2018-8120	2018-12-19
PoC in GitHub	Y0n0Y/cve-2018-8120-exp	2019-07-20
PoC in GitHub	StartZYP/CVE-2018-8120	2020-08-27
PoC in GitHub	wikiZ/cve-2018-8120	2020-11-30

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 3, 2026	exploitation, exploits
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, Exploit-DB, GitHub Advisories, CISA KEV, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2018-8120 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.0) in Microsoft Win32k, published May 9, 2018. CISA lists it as known to be exploited, since March 15, 2022. EUVD reports exploitation since March 15, 2022. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 73.3%, the 99th percentile. No source names a fixed version.