CVE-2018-8424

Exploitation likely. EPSS gives it a 13% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. A vendor fix is available.

CVSS 3.06.5Medium EPSS percentile96th13% chance in 30 days CISA KEVNot listedNo confirmed exploitation
No public exploit known FixVendor fixNo build named by the sources

Published 2018-09-13Updated 2024-11-21Sources: CVE.org, NVD, BDU

NVD CVE.org

What to do

The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.

Microsoft Windows 7Affected: 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1Upgrade to: not statedAffected: x64-based Systems Service Pack 1Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2Affected: (Server Core installation)Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record
Microsoft Windows RT 8.1Affected: Windows RT 8.1Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record
Microsoft Windows Server 2008Affected: 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)Upgrade to: not statedAffected: Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2Upgrade to: not statedAffected: x64-based Systems Service Pack 2Upgrade to: not stated + 1 more branchStated by: CVE record
Microsoft Windows Server 2012Affected: (Server Core installation)Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record

Versions as the sources state them. 5 more products have version data. Full version matrix after sign-in

Steps

Written by AI from the record

Check whether your PCs or servers run an affected Windows release and whether its security updates are current.
Install the security update for CVE-2018-8424 from Microsoft’s security advisory; the findings do not provide a specific fixed build number.
Until updates are installed, remind staff not to open unexpected or suspicious content from untrusted sources.

Vendor advisory Some work to apply

Check it yourselfA free OpenVAS check exists for this CVE. Run it against your hosts.Is your organisation exposed?Request an assessment to establish which checks fit your systems.

What it is

From the CVE record

An information disclosure vulnerability exists when the Windows GDI component improperly discloses the contents of its memory, aka "Windows GDI Information Disclosure 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. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8422.

In plain language

Written by AI from the record

This is a Windows graphics-component memory leak affecting Windows 7, 8.1, 10, and corresponding Server editions; typical small businesses should apply Microsoft’s security updates during normal maintenance.

Windows GDI information disclosure (CWE-200) allows remote attackers to obtain graphics-memory contents after persuading a user to interact with malicious content.

If you're affected

Sensitive information exposure
Leaked application data
Privacy incident risk

What is it

A flaw in a Windows component used for graphics can accidentally reveal information left in computer memory. It is like a document copier that includes faint traces of the previous page: an attacker may see sensitive material, but this issue does not let them alter files or shut down services.

Who is affected

This matters to you if you use or run Microsoft Windows on business PCs or servers. The attacker must persuade someone to interact with malicious content; it is not described as an attack that works by itself.

How urgent is it

There is no record of active exploitation, no public exploit code, and this issue is not in CISA’s known-exploited-vulnerability catalog. Treat it as routine patching: apply the vendor update in your normal maintenance window rather than treating it as an emergency.

What to do — in detail

Confirm exposure by inventorying Windows endpoints and servers, then compare their installed security updates with Microsoft’s advisory for CVE-2018-8424. Install the applicable Microsoft security update through your normal Windows update or managed patching process; the supplied findings identify no fixed build numbers or branch-specific targets. No upgrade-breaking change is identified in the findings. If patching is delayed, reduce exposure by preventing users from opening or interacting with unexpected content from untrusted sources. No CISA KEV due date applies because this CVE is not listed in KEV. After deployment, verify update-installation status and investigate reports of suspicious content delivered to users.

Technical context

CVE-2018-8424 is a CVSS 3.0 6.5 Medium CWE-200 information-disclosure vulnerability in Windows GDI. The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction; authentication requirements and default reachability are not known from the findings. Successful exploitation permits unauthorized reading of potentially sensitive system graphics-memory data, without integrity or availability impact. It is not listed in CISA KEV and has no public exploit code on record. EPSS predicts a 13.0% likelihood (96th percentile) and the trend is flat.

This is a general assessment based on public vulnerability data. It does not account for your specific infrastructure — when in doubt, consult a security specialist.

Exploitation

Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.

EPSS96th

CISA KEV

Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.

Public exploits

No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.

EPSS

13% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 96th percentile of scored CVEs.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.

Lifecycle

22 events over 2932 days, from the signal feeds we watch.

2026-09-23EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-09-21EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change
2026-09-06EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-09-05EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change
2026-08-31EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-08-28EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change

Affected products

Microsoft Corpcommercial · USaka Microsoft, microsoft corporation

And 27 more affected products. See all after sign-in

Technical detail

CVSS 3.0 vector

Open in the CVSS calculator

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Scored 6.5 by NVD.

How it is reached

Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
User Interaction RequiredA user must click a link, open a file, or perform some action

Scope

Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself

Impact if exploited

Confidentiality HighTotal information disclosure — all data in the component is compromised
Integrity NoneNo integrity impact
Availability NoneNo availability impact