{"id":"CVE-2016-7255","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2016-7255"],"related":[],"title":"Microsoft Win32k: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability","description":"The kernel-mode drivers 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, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607, and Windows Server 2016 allow local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka \"Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.\"","summary":"Microsoft's Win32k kernel-mode driver mishandles objects in memory, which lets a local user escalate privileges. A successful attacker runs code in kernel mode, which gives full control of the Windows machine.","severity":"high","cvss":7.8,"epss":0.80968,"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":["patched-windows"],"how_to_check":null,"fix":"Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2016-7255 per vendor instructions (CISA KEV required action).","status":"open","published_at":"2016-11-10T07:00:09+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-23T21:39:27+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.7,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-23T21:39:27Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2016-7255 per vendor instructions (CISA KEV required action).","reach":"local","impact":"high","summary":"Microsoft's Win32k kernel-mode driver mishandles objects in memory, which lets a local user escalate privileges. A successful attacker runs code in kernel mode, which gives full control of the Windows machine.","category":"infrastructure","who_cares":["windows","self-hosted"],"confidence":0.7,"needs_auth":"yes","worst_case":"Attacker gains kernel-mode code execution and full control of the Windows machine.","analyst_note":"Confirm affected Windows builds and the patch KB from the Microsoft advisory for CVE-2016-7255 and add a how-to-check command.","how_to_check":"unknown","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["patched-windows"],"user_interaction":"no","needs_special_setup":"no","severity_if_unknown":"high"},"cost_usd":0.000454,"input_tokens":2849,"output_tokens":338,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":"queued","analyst_note":"Confirm affected Windows builds and the patch KB from the Microsoft advisory for CVE-2016-7255 and add a how-to-check command.","search":"'-2016':9A,12A '-7255':10A,13A '10':89C '1511':91C '1607':93C '2008':69C '2012':81C '2016':97C '7':75C '8.1':78C,87C 'aka':108C 'allow':98C 'applic':107C 'attack':43B 'code':45B 'control':52B 'craft':106C 'cve':8A,11A 'driver':29B,61C 'elev':110C 'escal':6A,39B 'exploit':16B 'full':51B 'gain':102C 'give':50B 'gold':82C,90C 'host':21B 'infrastructur':17B 'kernel':27B,47B,59C 'kernel-mod':26B,58C 'let':35B 'local':37B,99C 'machin':56B 'memori':33B 'microsoft':1A,3A,14A,23B,63C 'mishandl':30B 'mode':28B,48B,60C 'object':31B 'privileg':5A,40B,103C,112C 'r2':72C,84C 'ransomwar':18B 'rt':86C 'run':44B 'self':20B 'self-host':19B 'server':68C,80C,96C 'sp1':73C,76C 'sp2':66C,70C 'success':42B 'user':38B,100C 'via':104C 'vista':65C 'vulner':7A,113C 'win32k':2A,4A,15A,25B,109C 'window':22B,55B,64C,67C,74C,77C,79C,85C,88C,95C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":null,"tier":null,"verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2016-11-10T07:00:09+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-2016-7255","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2016-7255","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":"2026-10-25T10:39:08+00:00","note":null},{"source":"epss","external_id":"CVE-2016-7255","url":"https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2016-7255","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-2016-7255","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7255","severity":null,"published_at":"2016-11-10T07:00:09+00:00","modified_at":"2026-09-10T04:17:32+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:34+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"}