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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2016-7255

Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published Oct 21, 2016 · catalog updated Sep 9, 2026 · Microsoft Win32k

Patch now

CVE-2016-7255 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due May 3, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Win32k 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
80.97%
Remediation
Remediation guidance
Affected products
cpe microsoft/windows 10 1507 · cpe microsoft/windows 10 1511 · cpe microsoft/windows 10 1607 · cpe microsoft/windows 7 · cpe microsoft/windows 8.1 · cpe microsoft/windows rt 8.1

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."

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 10 1507version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows 10 1511version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows 10 1607version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows 7version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows 8.1version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows rt 8.1version unspecified
  • cpe microsoft/windows server 2008r2
  • vendor Microsoft Win32kversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2016-7255

What to do

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

Should you patch?

CVE-2016-7255 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due May 3, 2022. Confirm Microsoft Win32k 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 80.97%. 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. Nov 10, 2016 · Catalog

    Detected

    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."

  2. Nov 3, 2021 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. May 3, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Sep 9, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    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."

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2016-7255

    Microsoft Win32k kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory which allows for privilege escalation. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to run code in kernel mode.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2016-7255

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2016-7255

    30-day exploitation probability 81.0%

    first.org
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference40745

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

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference40823

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

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference41015

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

    exploit-db.com
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_windows/local/cve_2022_21882_win32k

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

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2016-7255

    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 app

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited reference://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140468/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-win32k.sys-NtSetWindowLongPtr-Privilege-Escalation.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2016-7255

    Microsoft Win32k kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory which allows for privilege escalation. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to run code in kernel mode.

    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.