⚠ Actively exploited
Added to CISA KEV on 2021-11-03. Federal agencies required to patch by 2022-05-03. Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions..

CVE-2016-7255 — Microsoft Windows Server 2008 vulnerability

CWE-26421 documents13 sources
Severity
7.8HIGHNVD
EPSS
89.4%
top 0.45%
CISA KEV
KEV
Added 2021-11-03
Due 2022-05-03
Exploit
Exploited in wild
Active exploitation observed
Affected products
15
Microsoft Windows Server 2008Microsoft Windows Server 2012Msrc Windows 10+12 more
Timeline
PublishedNov 10
KEV addedNov 3
KEV dueMay 3
Latest updateFeb 12
CISA Required Action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Description

The kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607, and Windows Server 2016 allow local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitability: 1.8 | Impact: 5.9

Affected Packages14 packages

Patches

Patch: docs.microsoft.com ↗Patch: docs.microsoft.com ↗

🔴Vulnerability Details

3
GHSA
GHSA-6rfx-wjcx-jvgf: The kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8↗2022-05-14
▶
Project0
TFW you-get-really-excited-you-patch-diffed-a-0day-used-in-the-wild-but-then-find-out-it-is-the-wrong-vuln - Project Zero↗2020-04-01
▶
VulnCheck
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability↗2016
▶

💥Exploits & PoCs

4
Exploit-DB
Microsoft Windows - 'Win32k' Local Privilege Escalation↗2019-05-15
▶
Exploit-DB
Microsoft Windows Kernel - 'win32k.sys NtSetWindowLongPtr' Local Privilege Escalation (MS16-135) (2)↗2017-01-08
▶
Exploit-DB
Microsoft Windows Kernel - 'win32k.sys NtSetWindowLongPtr' Local Privilege Escalation (MS16-135) (1)↗2016-11-24
▶
Exploit-DB
Microsoft Windows Kernel - 'win32k' Denial of Service (MS16-135)↗2016-11-09
▶

📋Vendor Advisories

2
CISA
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability↗2021-11-03
▶
Microsoft
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability↗2016-11-08
▶

🕵️Threat Intelligence

9
Qualys
Managing CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities with Qualys VMDR | Qualys↗2022-02-23
▶
Securelist
The zero-day exploits of Operation WizardOpium↗2020-05-28
▶
Securelist
The zero-day exploits of Operation WizardOpium↗2020-05-28
▶
Unit42
Let It Ride: The Sofacy Group’s DealersChoice Attacks Continue↗2016-12-15
▶
Unit42
Let It Ride: The Sofacy Group’s DealersChoice Attacks Continue↗2016-12-15
▶

📄Research Papers

2
arXiv
Investigation of Advanced Persistent Threats Network-based Tactics, Techniques and Procedures↗2025-02-12
▶
arXiv
A Way Around UMIP and Descriptor-Table Exiting via TSX-based Side-Channel↗2021-04-22
▶