CVE-2018-8406
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the DirectX Graphics Kernel (DXGKRNL) driver improperly handles objects in memory, aka "DirectX Graphics Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows Server 2016, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8400, CVE-2018-8401, CVE-2018-8405.
- CVSS
- 7.8Highscored by CISA
- Exploited in the wild
- Yes, in CISA KEV since 28 Mar 2022CISA deadline for US federal agencies: 18 Apr 2022known use in ransomware campaigns
- EPSS
- 3.4%chance of exploitation in the next 30 daystop 11% of scored CVEsFIRST score of 11 Nov 2026
- Fix
- Patch availablesee the advisories in the references
- Published
- 15 Aug 2018analysed here 12 Nov 2026
Do first. Apply updates per vendor instructions. (CISA's required action for this KEV entry)
Summary
Triage
The summary, impact and action text on this page are written by our AI analysis pipeline, or taken from the NVD description when a CVE was imported from NVD. They are not the vendor's wording: check them against the sources. A longer AI executive summary and technical analysis are generated for signed-in accounts on the Max plan.
Affected products
| Product | Affected versions | Vendor says fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows 10 | 32-bit SystemsVersion 1607 for 32-bit SystemsVersion 1607 for x64-based SystemsVersion 1703 for 32-bit SystemsVersion 1703 for x64-based SystemsVersion 1709 for 32-bit SystemsVersion 1709 for x64-based SystemsVersion 1803 for 32-bit SystemsVersion 1803 for x64-based Systemsx64-based SystemsVendor says fixed in: not stated | |
| Microsoft Windows 10 Servers | version 1709 (Server Core Installation)version 1803 (Server Core Installation)Vendor says fixed in: not stated | |
| Microsoft Windows Server 2016 | (Server Core installation)Vendor says fixed in: not stated |
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.
Products named in our analysis
- microsoft:windows_10_1507
- microsoft:windows_10_1607
- microsoft:windows_10_1703
- microsoft:windows_10_1709
- microsoft:windows_10_1803
- microsoft:windows_server_1709
- microsoft:windows_server_1803
- microsoft:windows_server_2016
Fix and mitigation
WAF and other mitigations
Can a WAF block it? No. The attack needs local access to the machine, so a WAF is not on its path.
Also consider: patch
Based on the attack vector (local or physical access). We check Cloudflare, AWS, Google Cloud Armor and Azure; for Akamai, Imperva, Fastly, F5, ask your vendor.
Remediation steps (AI-written)
Step-by-step remediation is generated for accounts on the Max plan, for CVEs that match a technology in their stack. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
Exploitation evidence
- CISA KEV catalog
- Listed since 28 Mar 2022. Known use in ransomware campaigns.
- CISA due date
- 18 Apr 2022, the remediation deadline for US federal agencies
- CISA required action
- Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Public exploit code
- None on record in Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei templates or PoC-in-GitHub.
- CISA SSVC
- exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact totalAssessed by CISA 7 Feb 2025 (SSVC 2.0.3). Exploitation is none, poc (public proof of concept) or active.
Timeline
- 15 Aug 2018Published
- 28 Mar 2022Added to CISA KEV (exploited in the wild)1,320 days (about 4 years) later
- 18 Apr 2022CISA remediation due date (US federal agencies)21 days later
- 7 Feb 2025CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active1,027 days (about 3 years) later
- 21 Oct 2025CVE record last updated256 days (about 9 months) later
- 12 Nov 2026Analysed by vulneraibility.com387 days (about 1 year) later
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
| Metric | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Attack vector | LocalLocal access required (shell, logged-in user). | Local access required (shell, logged-in user). |
| Attack complexity | LowRepeatable attack, no special conditions. | Repeatable attack, no special conditions. |
| Privileges required | LowThe attacker needs basic user privileges. | The attacker needs basic user privileges. |
| User interaction | NoneNo victim action needed. | No victim action needed. |
| Scope | UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component. | Impact stays within the vulnerable component. |
| Confidentiality | HighTotal data disclosure possible. | Total data disclosure possible. |
| Integrity | HighComplete modification possible. | Complete modification possible. |
| Availability | HighFull outage possible. | Full outage possible. |
Common questions
Is CVE-2018-8406 being exploited?
Yes. CVE-2018-8406 appears in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed and reported. Treat it as active rather than theoretical, and patch it ahead of higher-scoring vulnerabilities that carry no exploitation evidence.
How severe is CVE-2018-8406?
CVE-2018-8406 is rated High with a CVSS score of 7.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2018-8406?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2018-8406. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2018-8406 affect?
CVE-2018-8406 affects microsoft:windows_10_1507, microsoft:windows_10_1607, microsoft:windows_10_1703, microsoft:windows_10_1709, and 4 further products or versions. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
References
4 references in the CVE record, grouped by the tags the record gives them.
Other links (4)
- securityfocus.com /bid/105012
- securitytracker.com /id/1041461
- portal.msrc.microsoft.com /en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8406
- cisa.gov /known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8406
Where the data on this page comes from
- CVE List (CVE.org): description, affected versions, references; CVE Terms of Use
- NVD: CVSS and CPE data
- CISA KEV catalog: exploitation, date added, due date
- CISA Vulnrichment (ADP): SSVC decision points
- FIRST EPSS: exploit probability and percentile
Summary, impact and triage tags: written by our AI analysis pipeline from the sources above. Check them against the sources.
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