CVE-2019-1458 — Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
- Used in ransomware campaigns (CISA)+10
- Public exploit/PoC (metasploit, exploitdb)+20
- EPSS 74.4% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — portal.msrc.microsoft.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
CISA required action CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
US federal deadline: Jul 10, 2022 — passed 1558 day(s) ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 10 1507, Microsoft Windows 10 1607…).
- Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- EPSS ahead of 99% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Windows |
version RT 8.1version 8.1 for x64-based systemsversion 8.1 for 32-bit systemsversion 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1version 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1version 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systemsversion 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systemsversion 10 for x64-based Systems and 1 moreversion 10 for 32-bit Systems |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 1507 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 10 1607 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 7 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows 8.1 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Rt 8.1 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server |
version 2012 R2 (Core installation)version 2012 R2version 2012 (Core installation)version 2012version 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Core installation)version 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1version 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1version 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Core installation) and 6 moreversion 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2version 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2version 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Core installation)version 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2version 2016 (Core installation)version 2016 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2008 | versions not specified by the sourceversion r2-sp1 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2012 | versions not specified by the sourceversion r2 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2016 | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 7.2 | CVSS 2.0 | High | 3.9 | 10.0 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) CISA KEV details CISA
CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.
Public exploits, PoCs and detection templates
Public code that demonstrates or tests the flaw raises the odds of mass exploitation — and Nuclei templates help find vulnerable assets in your environment.
- Microsoft Windows Uninitialized Variable Local Privilege Elevation normal Dec 10, 2019
Warning: public PoCs are sometimes disguised malware. Use them only for authorized testing in an isolated environment. This portal does not host exploit code — it only points to the sources.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 74.44%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Hunt retroactively in logs from before Jan 10, 2022 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · microsoft/windows, microsoft/windows server
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · microsoft/windows 10 1507, microsoft/windows 10 1607, microsoft/windows 7, microsoft/windows 8.1, microsoft/windows rt 8
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Added to CISA KEV (detected)
- Record created in this database
- 2022
- Added to CISA KEV catalog
- 2019
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
6 on the record
- portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1458
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1458
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/156651/Microsoft-Windows-WizardOpium-Local-Privilege-Escalation
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-hqp5-7hf2-3rq4
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/159569/Microsoft-Windows-Uninitialized-Variable-Local-Privilege
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-97844 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97842 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97839 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97840 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97841 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
- Medium CVE-2026-97843 Role: DNS Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability 2d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2019-1458 is "Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability", rated High. It affects Windows (Microsoft); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 74.44% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
Comments
Moderated technical discussion. Read the community guidelines.
No comments yet.
Sign in or create an account to comment and suggest corrections.