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CVE-2018-8253 — Microsoft Cortana Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Executive Summary
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Microsoft Cortana allows arbitrary website browsing on the lockscreen. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could steal browser stored passwords or log on to websites as another user. To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would require physical access to the console and the system must have Microsoft Cortana assistance enabled. The security update addresses the vulnerability by preventing Microsoft Cortana from allowing arbitrary website browsing on the lockscreen.
Overview
4
CVSS MEDIUM
Important
MS Severity
Not Exploited
MS Exploit Status
N/A
MS Exploit Likelihood
CVSS Vector
ATTACK VECTOR
Physical
ATTACK COMPLEXITY
High
PRIVILEGES REQUIRED
None
USER INTERACTION
Required
SCOPE
Unchanged
CONFIDENTIALITY
High
INTEGRITY
None
AVAILABILITY
None
EXPLOIT CODE MATURITY
Proof-of-Concept
REMEDIATION LEVEL
Official Fix
REPORT CONFIDENCE
Confirmed
Temporal Score: 3.6
EPSS Score
0.01784
probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
0.76332 percentile - updated 2026-08-14
View on FIRST.org
Affected Products
4 affected products
| Product | KB Article | Severity | Impact | Restart Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | 4343887 (Security Update) |
Important | Elevation of Privilege | Yes |
| Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | 4343887 (Security Update) |
Important | Elevation of Privilege | Yes |
| Windows Server 2016 | 4343887 (Security Update) |
Important | Elevation of Privilege | Yes |
| Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | 4343887 (Security Update) |
Important | Elevation of Privilege | Yes |
Patches
1 patch
| Article | Type | Restart |
|---|---|---|
4343887 |
Security Update | Yes |
Exploits & PoC
No public exploit or PoC has been linked for this CVE yet. When available, references are sourced from public repositories and may be unverified or non-functional — review carefully before use.
Detection Rules
No public Sigma or Nuclei detection rule has been mapped to this CVE yet. Coverage is concentrated on exploited / high-profile vulnerabilities; check SigmaHQ for updates.
Acknowledgments
Liraz keinan
Or Yasso Amichai Shulman
Cedric Cochin of McAfee’s Advanced Threat Research (ATR) Team
References
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