CVE-2018-0815 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI) in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1 allows an elevation of privilege vulnerability due to the way objects are handled in memory, aka "Windows GDI Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability". This CVE is unique from CVE-2018-0816, and CVE-2018-0817.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2021
The Windows Graphics Device Interface GDI vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0815 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within Microsoft's operating systems. This vulnerability specifically affects Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, as well as Windows 7 SP1, where the graphics subsystem fails to properly validate object handling in memory. The issue stems from improper memory management within the GDI component, which is responsible for rendering graphics and handling graphical objects in the Windows operating system. When exploited, this vulnerability allows a local attacker to escalate their privileges from a standard user account to system-level access, fundamentally compromising the security posture of affected systems.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the manner in which GDI processes graphical objects in memory, particularly when handling certain object types and their associated memory structures. The flaw manifests when the system attempts to manage memory resources for graphical operations, where insufficient validation occurs during object creation, manipulation, or destruction phases. This improper handling creates memory corruption conditions that can be leveraged by malicious code to execute arbitrary instructions with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-121 as a buffer overflow condition, specifically involving heap-based buffer overflows that occur during memory allocation and deallocation processes within the graphics subsystem.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to enterprise environments where Windows 7 and Server 2008 systems remain operational. Attackers can exploit this flaw to gain SYSTEM-level access, enabling them to install malware, modify system files, access sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within the compromised systems. The local nature of the exploit means that an attacker must first obtain user-level access, but the privilege escalation capability makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users may have administrative access to systems. The attack surface is significant given that these operating systems were widely deployed in enterprise environments, and many organizations continued to use them despite end-of-support dates.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0815 primarily involve applying Microsoft's security patches and updates released as part of their regular security bulletin cycle. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the relevant security updates that address the GDI memory handling issues. Additionally, implementing security measures such as disabling unnecessary graphics services, restricting user privileges, and employing application whitelisting can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Network segmentation and monitoring for suspicious privilege escalation activities can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing exploit prevention mechanisms and maintaining comprehensive system monitoring to identify any anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability, as the ATT&CK framework categorizes such techniques under privilege escalation tactics that leverage system component weaknesses.