# CVE-2018-8440: Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation

> Attackers can exploit improper ALPC handling in Windows to elevate privileges, requiring OS patches.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 28 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jw7v-w46m-p6pp

## What is CVE-2018-8440?

CVE-2018-8440 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1607, published on 13 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-8440?

It affects 10 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1703, Microsoft Windows 10 1709, Microsoft Windows 10 1803, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-8440?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-8440 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 18 Apr 2022.

## Is CVE-2018-8440 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-8440 in the wild since at least 28 Mar 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2018-8440 standalone exploit (github_poc): https://github.com/sourceincite/CVE-2018-8440
- Microsoft Windows ALPC Task Scheduler Local Privilege Elevation (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10 1607

- [CVE-2026-33824](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33824/): Microsoft Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Service Extensions Double Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-21510](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21510/): Microsoft Windows Shell Protection Mechanism Failure (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-21513](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21513/): Microsoft MSHTML Framework Protection Mechanism Failure (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-32049](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32049/): Microsoft Windows Defender SmartScreen Security Feature Bypass (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-29360](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-29360/): Microsoft Streaming Service Untrusted Pointer Dereference (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-8440 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-8440 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1607, published on 13 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-8440 in the wild since at least 28 Mar 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8440/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8440/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8440
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8440
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-8440

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8440/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.