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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2016-0040

Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published Feb 10, 2016 · catalog updated Jun 16, 2026 · Microsoft Windows

Patch now

CVE-2016-0040 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Apr 18, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Windows against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Gaps on this record

  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
Severity
High7.8
Known exploitation
CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
24.28%
Remediation
Remediation guidance
Affected products
cpe microsoft/windows 7 · cpe microsoft/windows server 2008 · cpe microsoft/windows vista · vendor Microsoft Windows

The kernel in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe microsoft/windows 7version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008r2
  • cpe microsoft/windows vistaversion unspecified
  • vendor Microsoft Windowsversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2016-0040

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

CVE-2016-0040 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Apr 18, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Windows against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with microsoft/windows server 2008 r2. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-264. EPSS 24.28%. The CISA KEV listing is the exploitation evidence. A public exploit reference is linked in Sources. That is not the same as confirmed exploitation. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

Windows security

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Feb 10, 2016 · Catalog

    Detected

    The kernel in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

  2. Mar 28, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. Apr 18, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    The kernel in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2016-0040

    The kernel in Microsoft Windows allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2016-0040

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2016-0040

    30-day exploitation probability 24.3%

    first.org
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference44586

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_windows/local/ms16_014_wmi_recv_notif

    Public module reference (normal). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2016-0040

    The kernel in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."

    nvd.nist.gov
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2016-0040

    The kernel in Microsoft Windows allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted application.

    vulncheck.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.