CVE-2018-8440: Microsoft Windows 7 · Elevation of Privilege
Affects Microsoft Windows 7Source CVE Database V5
Exploited in the wild · used in ransomware campaigns · KEV due 18 Apr 2022 · public exploit available (Metasploit) · 18% EPSS : apply the vendor's fix or mitigations to Microsoft Windows 7 now.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 08:30 UTC
- KEV deadline
- US federal agencies must patch by this date; a sensible deadline for everyone else.
- Ransomware
- Used in ransomware campaigns
- EPSS
- 18.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 97% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
t = 0 is the CVE’s publication on cve.org
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 13 Sep 2018
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: evidence found.
Exploited in the wildExploited: evidence found.
Listed in CISA KEV 3.5 years after disclosure
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
Timeline
CVE ID reserved
by Microsoft Corporation
, 183 days before disclosure
CVE published
on cve.org
, t = 0
Added to CISA KEV (opens in a new tab)
exploitation confirmed · ransomware use known
, 3.5 years after disclosure
KEV remediation due
US federal deadline
, 3.6 years after disclosure
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), CISA KEV (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Description
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles calls to Advanced Local Procedure Call (ALPC), aka "Windows ALPC Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers.
References
- portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8440 (opens in a new tab)
- blog.0patch.com/2018/09/comparing-our-micropatch-with.html (opens in a new tab)
- blog.0patch.com/2018/08/how-we-micropatched-publicly-dropped.html (opens in a new tab)
- securitytracker.com/id/1041578 (opens in a new tab)
- securityfocus.com/bid/105153 (opens in a new tab)