CVE-2018-8639 Microsoft Windows Win32k Improper Resource Shutdown or Release

​CVE-2018-8639 is a critical elevation of privilege vulnerability identified in Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This flaw resides within the Win32k component, which fails to handle objects in memory properly, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code in kernel mode. ​

What is Vulnerable to CVE-2018-8639

The vulnerability affects a broad range of Windows versions, including:​

• Windows 7​portal.msrc.microsoft.com+1GitHub+1portal.msrc.microsoft.com+1
• Windows 8.1​
• Windows 10​GitHub+5Microsoft Security Response Center+5portal.msrc.microsoft.com+5
• Windows RT 8.1​
• Windows Server 2008​
• Windows Server 2008 R2​
• Windows Server 2012​GitHub+6NVD+6portal.msrc.microsoft.com+6
• Windows Server 2012 R2​
• Windows Server 2016​
• Windows Server 2019​

Both client and server platforms are susceptible to this vulnerability. ​

Mitigation and Remediation for CVE-2018-8639

To address this vulnerability, Microsoft released security updates as part of their December 2018 Patch Tuesday. Users and administrators are strongly advised to apply these patches promptly to mitigate potential risks. The specific update addressing CVE-2018-8639 can be found in Microsoft’s security advisory. ​

Impact of Successful Exploitation of CVE-2018-8639

If exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker to run arbitrary code in kernel mode. Consequently, the attacker could install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights, leading to a complete system compromise. ​NVD

Proof of Concept for CVE-2018-8639

Proof-of-concept (PoC) exploits for CVE-2018-8639 have been developed and shared within the security community. For instance, a GitHub repository by user ze0r provides an exploit targeting Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 platforms. ​GitHub

These PoCs highlight the ease with which the vulnerability can be exploited, emphasizing the urgency for applying the necessary patches.