Assessment
Why it matters
CISA lists this vulnerability as known to be exploited; exploitation is confirmed; EPSS is 87.0%; technical severity is CVSS 7.8.
win32k.sys in the kernel-mode drivers in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, and Windows RT Gold and 8.1 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, as exploited in the wild in October 2014, aka "Win32k.sys Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
Who should care
- Teams operating Win32k, Windows 7, Windows 8 +7 more
- Vulnerability and exposure management teams
- Security operations teams monitoring exploitation activity
Response plan
What I would do
- Confirm whether Win32k, Windows 7, Windows 8 +7 more is present in the environment.
- Identify affected versions and establish whether vulnerable services are exposed or reachable.
- Microsoft Security patch Ms14 058
- Review relevant security telemetry for evidence of attempted or successful exploitation.
- Document the remediation decision and track it to verified completion.
Treatment intelligence
Remediation intelligence
Vendor sources are listed before government and third-party guidance. Confirm product applicability and change prerequisites before deployment.
Verification noteAutomated link verification has not completed for this guidance yet.
Technical details
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CWE
- CWE-264
- Affected versions
- Microsoft Win32k; Microsoft Windows 7 (Version -); Microsoft Windows 8 (Version -); Microsoft Windows 8.1 (Version -); Microsoft Windows Rt (Version -); Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1 (Version -); Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (Version -); Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (Version - | Version r2)
- Fixed versions
- No explicit fixed version is currently recorded.
- Published
- 15 October 2014
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
Signal timeline
- CVE published
- Added to CISA KEV
- Latest EPSS score: 87.0%
- Signal calculated at 82
External references
- CISA Government advisory CVE-2014-4113
- GitHub Third-party advisory CVE-2014-4113
- Exploit information from blog.trendmicro.com
- Blogs Technet Technical reference Accessing Risk For The October 2014 Security Updates
- Exploit information from packetstormsecurity.com
- Secunia Technical reference
- Exploit information from www.exploit-db.com
- Securityfocus Third-party advisory
- Exploit information from www.exploit-db.com
- Exploit Db Exploit information