CVE-2018-8120
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 r2
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2018-8120 is a high-severity Improper Resource Shutdown or Release (CWE-404) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Its CVSS base score is 7.0 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 0.5% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the Win32k component of Windows when it fails to properly handle objects in memory. The issue, tracked as CVE-2018-8120, affects Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2 and is distinct from the related issues CVE-2018-8124, CVE-2018-8164, and CVE-2018-8166. It carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 reflecting local attack vector, high attack complexity, and low privileges required.
A local attacker with existing low-privileged access can exploit the flaw without user interaction to obtain elevated privileges, resulting in high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected system. The weakness is categorized under CWE-404.
Public proof-of-concept code for the vulnerability has been published, and Microsoft has released an advisory detailing the issue at its security guidance portal along with additional tracking entries on SecurityFocus and SecurityTracker.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2018-19796
Vulnerability Data
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…
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unique from CVE-2018-8124, CVE-2018-8164, CVE-2018-8166.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 15 March 2022
Related Threats
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Contingency plan updates incorporate proper resource shutdown and release steps, preventing attackers from leveraging incomplete cleanup during recovery scenarios.
Mandates explicit shutdown of the network connection at session conclusion, directly addressing improper resource release.
Requires proper shutdown/release procedures that include overwriting or isolating data to block unintended transfer via reused system objects.
Procedures can mandate orderly shutdown or release of resources when failures occur, preventing improper resource handling after a fault.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
documenting procedures for secure operation, error handling, restart/recovery and resource management (including references to 8.13/8.18) is a governance and dependency control that does not itself stop exploitation of a resource-shutdown flaw; any prevention would require other controls (e.g. code changes or runtime enforcement) configured to act on it
Hardening callouts derived
DISA STIG baselines are authored against specific weaknesses. Where this CVE cites a broad weakness class, the mapping is not asserted at that abstraction (owner ruling, 2026-09-25: grade only at Base and below), so no rule is shown here rather than a rule shown against the wrong grain.
- No fine-grained STIG row for CWE-404, a class-level weakness, and none of its children carries one either.