{"id":"CVE-2016-0167","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2016-0167"],"related":[],"title":"Microsoft Win32k: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability","description":"The kernel-mode driver in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 Gold and R2, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows 10 Gold and 1511 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka \"Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability,\" a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0143 and CVE-2016-0165.","summary":"Microsoft Win32k, the Windows kernel-mode graphics driver, contains a flaw that lets a crafted application escalate privileges. An attacker who already runs code on a Windows machine can gain higher privileges, and the sources report it is exploited in the wild and tied to ransomware.","severity":"high","cvss":7.8,"epss":0.05683,"exploited":true,"exploited_at":"2021-11-03T00:00:00+00:00","products":[{"name":"Microsoft Win32k","fixed":[],"affected":"","ecosystem":"vendor"}],"ecosystems":["vendor"],"tags":["exploited","infrastructure","ransomware","self-hosted","windows"],"not_affected_if":["non-windows","patched-windows"],"how_to_check":"Check the Windows build against Microsoft's MS16-014 bulletin listing, using winver or systeminfo and the installed hotfixes (unknown exact KB from sources).","fix":"Apply the Microsoft update for CVE-2016-0167 per vendor instructions (CISA KEV required action); exact KB and version unknown from sources.","status":"open","published_at":"2016-04-12T23:59:30+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-23T21:37:41+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.6,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-23T21:37:41Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"Apply the Microsoft update for CVE-2016-0167 per vendor instructions (CISA KEV required action); exact KB and version unknown from sources.","reach":"local","impact":"high","summary":"Microsoft Win32k, the Windows kernel-mode graphics driver, contains a flaw that lets a crafted application escalate privileges. An attacker who already runs code on a Windows machine can gain higher privileges, and the sources report it is exploited in the wild and tied to ransomware.","category":"infrastructure","who_cares":["windows","self-hosted"],"confidence":0.6,"needs_auth":"yes","worst_case":"Local attacker gains SYSTEM privileges on the Windows machine.","analyst_note":"Confirm the affected Windows versions and the exact patch KB from Microsoft's MS16-014 bulletin and the CISA KEV entry.","how_to_check":"Check the Windows build against Microsoft's MS16-014 bulletin listing, using winver or systeminfo and the installed hotfixes (unknown exact KB from sources).","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["patched-windows","non-windows"],"user_interaction":"unknown","needs_special_setup":"no","severity_if_unknown":"high"},"cost_usd":0.000499,"input_tokens":2823,"output_tokens":434,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":null,"analyst_note":null,"search":"'-0143':129C '-0165':133C '-0167':10A,13A '-2016':9A,12A,128C,132C '10':103C '1511':106C '2008':82C '2012':94C '7':88C '8.1':91C,100C 'aka':117C 'allow':107C 'alreadi':45B 'applic':39B,116C 'attack':43B 'code':47B 'contain':32B 'craft':38B,115C 'cve':8A,11A,127C,131C 'differ':124C 'driver':31B,74C 'elev':119C 'escal':6A,40B 'exploit':16B,62B 'flaw':34B 'gain':53B,111C 'gold':95C,104C 'graphic':30B 'higher':54B 'host':21B 'infrastructur':17B 'kernel':28B,72C 'kernel-mod':27B,71C 'let':36B 'local':108C 'machin':51B 'microsoft':1A,3A,14A,23B,76C 'mode':29B,73C 'privileg':5A,41B,55B,112C,121C 'r2':85C,97C 'ransomwar':18B,69B 'report':59B 'rt':99C 'run':46B 'self':20B 'self-host':19B 'server':81C,93C 'sourc':58B 'sp1':86C,89C 'sp2':79C,83C 'tie':67B 'user':109C 'via':113C 'vista':78C 'vulner':7A,122C,125C 'wild':65B 'win32k':2A,4A,15A,24B,118C 'window':22B,26B,50B,77C,80C,87C,90C,92C,98C,102C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":null,"tier":null,"verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2016-04-12T23:59:30+00:00","kev":{"dateAdded":"2021-11-03","dueDate":"2022-05-03","requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Known"},"cvss_vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","cvss_by":"nvd@nist.gov","poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"kev","external_id":"CVE-2016-0167","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2016-0167","severity":null,"published_at":"2021-11-03T00:00:00+00:00","modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-25T13:39:33+00:00","note":null},{"source":"epss","external_id":"CVE-2016-0167","url":"https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2016-0167","severity":null,"published_at":null,"modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00","note":null},{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2016-0167","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-0167","severity":null,"published_at":"2016-04-12T23:59:30+00:00","modified_at":"2026-06-17T00:37:02+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}