Exploitation evidence
Known exploited · CISA KEV listed
Added 2021-11-03. Ransomware campaign use: Known.
CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CISA due date: 2022-05-03. This is the catalog’s deadline, not an assessment of your organization’s exposure.
KEV checked 13 Nov 2026, 00:20 Jerusalem · Original catalog ↗Reported products and versions
n/a / n/a
Default status: Not specified
- affected: n/a
Fixes and workarounds
No explicit solution text in the downloaded CVE record. Consult the vendor advisory; unaffected version ranges are shown above as reported, not inferred as a patch recommendation.
Sources and related reporting
CVE Program record ↗ · Download tracked evidence as JSON
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140468/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-win32k.sys-NtSetWindowLongPtr-Privilege-Escalation.html
- https://github.com/mwrlabs/CVE-2016-7255
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40823/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41015/
- https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/digging-windows-kernel-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-cve-2016-7255/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40745/
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037251
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-135
- http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/one-bit-rule-system-analyzing-cve-2016-7255-exploit-wild/
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94064
- https://security.googleblog.com/2016/10/disclosing-vulnerabilities-to-protect.html
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-7255
Observed change timeline
History begins when Egret first downloads each source. It is not the complete upstream CVE history.
12 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-12",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99637
}10 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-10",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99635
}09 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-09",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99634
}08 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-08",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99633
}07 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-07",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99633
}07 Nov 2026, 06:20 Jerusalem · CVE Program record changed
Stored CNA snapshot at this observation.
{
"containers": {
"adp": [
{
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2024-08-06T01:57:46.856Z",
"orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
"shortName": "CVE"
},
"references": [
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140468/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-win32k.sys-NtSetWindowLongPtr-Privilege-Escalation.html"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "https://github.com/mwrlabs/CVE-2016-7255"
},
{
"name": "40823",
"tags": [
"exploit",
"x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40823/"
},
{
"name": "41015",
"tags": [
"exploit",
"x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41015/"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/digging-windows-kernel-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-cve-2016-7255/"
},
{
"name": "40745",
"tags": [
"exploit",
"x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40745/"
},
{
"name": "1037251",
"tags": [
"vdb-entry",
"x_refsource_SECTRACK",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037251"
},
{
"name": "MS16-135",
"tags": [
"vendor-advisory",
"x_refsource_MS",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-135"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/one-bit-rule-system-analyzing-cve-2016-7255-exploit-wild/"
},
{
"name": "94064",
"tags": [
"vdb-entry",
"x_refsource_BID",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94064"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC",
"x_transferred"
],
"url": "https://security.googleblog.com/2016/10/disclosing-vulnerabilities-to-protect.html"
}
],
"title": "CVE Program Container"
},
{
"metrics": [
{
"cvssV3_1": {
"attackComplexity": "LOW",
"attackVector": "LOCAL",
"availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
"baseScore": 7.8,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
"integrityImpact": "HIGH",
"privilegesRequired": "NONE",
"scope": "UNCHANGED",
"userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"version": "3.1"
}
},
{
"other": {
"content": {
"id": "CVE-2016-7255",
"options": [
{
"Exploitation": "active"
},
{
"Automatable": "no"
},
{
"Technical Impact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2021-03-05T00:00:00+00:00",
"version": "2.0.3"
},
"type": "ssvc"
}
},
{
"other": {
"content": {
"dateAdded": "2021-11-03",
"reference": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-7255"
},
"type": "kev"
}
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"description": "CWE-noinfo Not enough information",
"lang": "en",
"type": "CWE"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-09-10T03:55:16.226Z",
"orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"shortName": "CISA-ADP"
},
"references": [
{
"tags": [
"government-resource"
],
"url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-7255"
}
],
"timeline": [
{
"lang": "en",
"time": "2021-11-03T00:00:00.000Z",
"value": "CVE-2016-7255 added to CISA KEV"
}
],
"title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
}
],
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"product": "n/a",
"vendor": "n/a",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "n/a"
}
]
}
],
"datePublic": "2016-11-08T00:00:00.000Z",
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "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.\""
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"description": "n/a",
"lang": "en",
"type": "text"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2018-10-12T19:57:01.000Z",
"orgId": "f38d906d-7342-40ea-92c1-6c4a2c6478c8",
"shortName": "microsoft"
},
"references": [
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC"
],
"url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140468/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-win32k.sys-NtSetWindowLongPtr-Privilege-Escalation.html"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC"
],
"url": "https://github.com/mwrlabs/CVE-2016-7255"
},
{
"name": "40823",
"tags": [
"exploit",
"x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40823/"
},
{
"name": "41015",
"tags": [
"exploit",
"x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41015/"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC"
],
"url": "https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/digging-windows-kernel-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-cve-2016-7255/"
},
{
"name": "40745",
"tags": [
"exploit",
"x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB"
],
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40745/"
},
{
"name": "1037251",
"tags": [
"vdb-entry",
"x_refsource_SECTRACK"
],
"url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037251"
},
{
"name": "MS16-135",
"tags": [
"vendor-advisory",
"x_refsource_MS"
],
"url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-135"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC"
],
"url": "http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/one-bit-rule-system-analyzing-cve-2016-7255-exploit-wild/"
},
{
"name": "94064",
"tags": [
"vdb-entry",
"x_refsource_BID"
],
"url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94064"
},
{
"tags": [
"x_refsource_MISC"
],
"url": "https://security.googleblog.com/2016/10/disclosing-vulnerabilities-to-protect.html"
}
],
"x_legacyV4Record": {
"CVE_data_meta": {
"ASSIGNER": "secure@microsoft.com",
"ID": "CVE-2016-7255",
"STATE": "PUBLIC"
},
"affects": {
"vendor": {
"vendor_data": [
{
"product": {
"product_data": [
{
"product_name": "n/a",
"version": {
"version_data": [
{
"version_value": "n/a"
}
]
}
}
]
},
"vendor_name": "n/a"
}
]
}
},
"data_format": "MITRE",
"data_type": "CVE",
"data_version": "4.0",
"description": {
"description_data": [
{
"lang": "eng",
"value": "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.\""
}
]
},
"problemtype": {
"problemtype_data": [
{
"description": [
{
"lang": "eng",
"value": "n/a"
}
]
}
]
},
"references": {
"reference_data": [
{
"name": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140468/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-win32k.sys-NtSetWindowLongPtr-Privilege-Escalation.html",
"refsource": "MISC",
"url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140468/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-win32k.sys-NtSetWindowLongPtr-Privilege-Escalation.html"
},
{
"name": "https://github.com/mwrlabs/CVE-2016-7255",
"refsource": "MISC",
"url": "https://github.com/mwrlabs/CVE-2016-7255"
},
{
"name": "40823",
"refsource": "EXPLOIT-DB",
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40823/"
},
{
"name": "41015",
"refsource": "EXPLOIT-DB",
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41015/"
},
{
"name": "https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/digging-windows-kernel-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-cve-2016-7255/",
"refsource": "MISC",
"url": "https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/digging-windows-kernel-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-cve-2016-7255/"
},
{
"name": "40745",
"refsource": "EXPLOIT-DB",
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40745/"
},
{
"name": "1037251",
"refsource": "SECTRACK",
"url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037251"
},
{
"name": "MS16-135",
"refsource": "MS",
"url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-135"
},
{
"name": "http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/one-bit-rule-system-analyzing-cve-2016-7255-exploit-wild/",
"refsource": "MISC",
"url": "http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/one-bit-rule-system-analyzing-cve-2016-7255-exploit-wild/"
},
{
"name": "94064",
"refsource": "BID",
"url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94064"
},
{
"name": "https://security.googleblog.com/2016/10/disclosing-vulnerabilities-to-protect.html",
"refsource": "MISC",
"url": "https://security.googleblog.com/2016/10/disclosing-vulnerabilities-to-protect.html"
}
]
}
}
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "f38d906d-7342-40ea-92c1-6c4a2c6478c8",
"assignerShortName": "microsoft",
"cveId": "CVE-2016-7255",
"datePublished": "2016-11-10T06:16:00.000Z",
"dateReserved": "2016-09-09T00:00:00.000Z",
"dateUpdated": "2026-09-10T03:55:16.226Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2"
}06 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-06",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99633
}05 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-05",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99632
}04 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-04",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99632
}03 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-03",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.99631
}03 Nov 2026, 02:22 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated
Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.
{
"date": "2026-11-02",
"epss": 0.80968,
"percentile": 0.9963
}03 Nov 2026, 02:22 Jerusalem · CISA KEV status changed
Stored KEV snapshot at this observation.
{
"cveID": "CVE-2016-7255",
"cwes": [
"CWE-264"
],
"dateAdded": "2021-11-03",
"dueDate": "2022-05-03",
"forensicTriage": "No",
"knownRansomwareCampaignUse": "Known",
"notes": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7255",
"product": "Win32k",
"requiredAction": "Apply updates per vendor instructions.",
"shortDescription": "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.",
"vendorProject": "Microsoft",
"vulnerabilityName": "Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability"
}