CVE-2018-8440: Technical Deep-Dive (Auto Refreshed)

Generated on 2026-03-30T15:43:51.187Z. This file is automatically regenerated every 30 minutes by the CVE AI enrichment job using web sources (NVD, MITRE, CISA KEV, GitHub).

Executive Technical Summary

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles calls to Advanced Local Procedure Call (ALPC), aka "Windows ALPC Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers.

• Context preserved from previous revision: An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles calls to Advanced Local Procedure Call (ALPC), aka "Windows ALPC Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 10, Windows 10 Servers. Notes: Ostorlab KEV: One-command to detect most remotely known exploitable vulnerabilities. Sourced from CISA KEV, Google's Tsunami, Ostorlab's Asteroid and Bug Bounty programs.

Technical Details

• CVE: CVE-2018-8440
• KEV date added: Unknown
• KEV due date: Not specified
• NVD published: Unknown
• NVD modified: Unknown
• MITRE modified: 2025-10-21
• CVSS base score: N/A
• CVSS vector: N/A
• CVSS exploitability score: N/A
• CVSS impact score: N/A
• Attack vector: Unknown
• Attack complexity: Unknown
• Privileges required: Unknown
• User interaction: Unknown
• Scope: Unknown
• Confidentiality impact: Unknown
• Integrity impact: Unknown
• Availability impact: Unknown

Versions and Products Impacted

• Microsoft / Windows 7 (versions: 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1, x64-based Systems Service Pack 1)
• Microsoft / Windows Server 2012 R2 (versions: (Server Core installation))
• Microsoft / Windows RT 8.1 (versions: Windows RT 8.1)
• Microsoft / Windows Server 2008 (versions: 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2, 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation), Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2, x64-based Systems Service Pack 2, x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation))
• Microsoft / Windows Server 2012 (versions: (Server Core installation))
• Microsoft / Windows 8.1 (versions: 32-bit systems, x64-based systems)
• Microsoft / Windows Server 2016 (versions: (Server Core installation))
• Microsoft / Windows Server 2008 R2 (versions: Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1, x64-based Systems Service Pack 1, x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation))
• Microsoft / Windows 10 (versions: 32-bit Systems, Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems, Version 1607 for x64-based Systems, Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems, Version 1703 for x64-based Systems, Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems, Version 1709 for x64-based Systems, Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems, Version 1803 for x64-based Systems, x64-based Systems)
• Microsoft / Windows 10 Servers (versions: version 1709 (Server Core Installation), version 1803 (Server Core Installation))

Weakness Classification

• Elevation of Privilege
• CWE-noinfo Not enough information

Repositories for Lab Validation (Public Examples)

• No public repository matched this CVE query in the current run.

People and Organizations Mentioned

• microsoft

Practical Defensive Validation (Authorized Only)

1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.
2. Snapshot infrastructure before validation and preserve baseline logs (EDR, SIEM, OS, app).
3. Create low-privilege users on Microsoft / Windows 7 (versions: 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1, x64-based Systems Service Pack 1) and validate that patching blocks unauthorized admin-level actions.
4. Compare token/privilege transitions in Windows Event Logs before and after remediation.
5. Tune detections for unusual group membership changes and SYSTEM-level process launches from user sessions.

References

• NVD record: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8440
• MITRE CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8440
• CISA KEV Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• CISA KEV JSON feed: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
• https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8440
• https://blog.0patch.com/2018/09/comparing-our-micropatch-with.html
• https://blog.0patch.com/2018/08/how-we-micropatched-publicly-dropped.html
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041578
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105153
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8440

This content is for defensive security training and authorized validation only.