CVE-2018-8581: Technical Deep-Dive (Auto Refreshed)

Generated on 2026-03-31T21:25:35.399Z. 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 in Microsoft Exchange Server, aka "Microsoft Exchange Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Exchange Server.

• Context preserved from previous revision: An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange Server, aka "Microsoft Exchange Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Exchange Server. Notes: TOP All bugbounty pentesting CVE-2023- POC Exp RCE example payload Things

Technical Details

• CVE: CVE-2018-8581
• KEV date added: 2022-03-03
• KEV due date: 2022-03-17
• NVD published: 2018-11-14
• NVD modified: 2025-10-28
• MITRE modified: 2025-10-21
• CVSS base score: 7.4
• CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
• CVSS exploitability score: 2.2
• CVSS impact score: 5.2
• Attack vector: Network
• Attack complexity: High
• Privileges required: None
• User interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality impact: High
• Integrity impact: High
• Availability impact: None

Versions and Products Impacted

• microsoft / exchange server (versions: 2010)
• microsoft / exchange server (versions: 2013)
• microsoft / exchange server (versions: 2016)
• microsoft / exchange server (versions: 2019)
• Microsoft / Microsoft Exchange Server (versions: 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019)

Weakness Classification

• NVD-CWE-noinfo
• Elevation of Privilege
• CWE-noinfo Not enough information

Repositories for Lab Validation (Public Examples)

• GhostTroops/TOP | stars: 721 | updated: 2026-03-31 | https://github.com/GhostTroops/TOP
  Notes: TOP All bugbounty pentesting CVE-2023- POC Exp RCE example payload Things
• Ostorlab/KEV | stars: 608 | updated: 2026-03-23 | https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV
  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.
• CVEDB/awesome-cve-repo | stars: 9 | updated: 2026-03-10 | https://github.com/CVEDB/awesome-cve-repo

People and Organizations Mentioned

• microsoft
• Exchange Server
• GhostTroops
• Ostorlab
• CVEDB

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 / exchange server (versions: 2010) 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-2018-8581
• MITRE CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8581
• 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
• KEV notes: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8581
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105837
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1042141
• https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8581
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-8581
• Repository example: https://github.com/GhostTroops/TOP
• Repository example: https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV
• Repository example: https://github.com/CVEDB/awesome-cve-repo

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