# CVE-2018-8611: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2018-8611-microsoft-windows-kernel-privilege-escalation-vulnerability  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2022-05-24. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2018-8611 · Severity: critical · CVSS 7.8 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2022-05-24

A privilege escalation vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows kernel occurs when the system fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode, allowing them to install programs, view/change data, or create new accounts with full user rights.

Technologies: [Microsoft Windows](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/windows). Vendors: [Microsoft](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/microsoft).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2018-8611 exploited in the wild?** Yes. CVE-2018-8611 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 24 May 2022. Treat it as urgent.

**How severe is CVE-2018-8611?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 24 May 2022.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Microsoft Windows 7; Microsoft Windows 8.1; Microsoft Windows RT 8.1; Microsoft Windows 10; and 4 more.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2018-8611?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2018-8611 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2018-8611?** Check whether you run Microsoft Windows. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Affected products

- Microsoft Windows 7
- Microsoft Windows 8.1
- Microsoft Windows RT 8.1
- Microsoft Windows 10
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012
- Microsoft Windows Server 2016
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019

## Timeline

- 2018-12-14: disclosed: Initial analysis by NIST and MSRC advisory publication.
- 2022-05-24: kev added: Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.

## Related threats

- [Windows BitLocker heap buffer overflow with physical attack](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97015-heap-based-buffer-overflow-in-windows-bitlocker-allows-an)
- [Microsoft Windows Shell type confusion privilege elevation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97013-access-of-resource-using-incompatible-type-type-confusion-in)
- [Microsoft Windows VMSwitch out-of-bounds read privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97002-out-of-bounds-read-in-windows-vmswitch-allows-an-authorized)
- [Microsoft Windows USM Communication Manager null pointer dereference](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97000-null-pointer-dereference-in-windows-usm-communication-manager)
- [Microsoft Windows Winsock use after free privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-96994-use-after-free-in-winsock-allows-an-authorized-attacker-to)