CVE-2016-3309: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Reference page built from the source records below, each shown as its source publishes it. Dataset version ref-91e6e1d2b256, updated 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z.
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
- Name
- Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows
- Added to the catalog
- 2022-03-15
- Due date for US federal agencies
- 2022-04-05
- Weaknesses
- CWE-264
- Catalog version
- 2026.10.30
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode.
Required action (CISA)
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Ransomware use: CISA marks this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns. CISA does not say which group used it.
Links in CISA's notes
Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
NVD analysis
- Status
- Analyzed
- Published
- 2016-08-09T21:59:16.113
- Last modified
- 2026-06-17T00:45:28.227
- Weaknesses
- NVD-CWE-noinfo
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; and Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607 allow local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-3308, CVE-2016-3310, and CVE-2016-3311.
| Metric | Score | Severity | Vector | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | [email protected] (Primary) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 (Secondary) |
| CVSS 2.0 | 7.2 | HIGH | AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C | [email protected] (Primary) |
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92297 (Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036572 (Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-098 (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42960/ (Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92297 (Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036572 (Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-098 (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42960/ (Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-3309 (US Government Resource)
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
Read on 2026-11-02T23:41:35.381Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2016-3309
CVE record
- Assigner
- microsoft
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Published
- 2016-08-09T21:00:00.000Z
- Updated
- 2025-10-21T23:55:50.847Z
- Problem types
- n/a
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; and Windows 10 Gold, 1511, and 1607 allow local users to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka "Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-3308, CVE-2016-3310, and CVE-2016-3311.
References
Read on 2026-11-03T00:33:37.756Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2016/3xxx/CVE-2016-3309.json
Sources and licences
CISA
Source: CISA Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, version 2026.10.30, CC0 1.0. Use of this data does not imply endorsement by CISA or DHS.
National Vulnerability Database (NIST)
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
NVD API Terms of Use (NIST publications in the public domain, 17 U.S.C. 105)
CVE Program, The MITRE Corporation
Copyright © 1999-2026, The MITRE Corporation. CVE is a trademark and the CVE logo is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. CVE Usage: MITRE hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE™). Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.
Cite this page
Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "CVE-2016-3309: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability",
entity page, dataset version ref-91e6e1d2b256, updated 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/cve/CVE-2016-3309 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: CISA Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, version 2026.10.30.
Underlying source: National Vulnerability Database (NIST), CVE API 2.0, record last modified 2026-06-17T00:45:28.227.
Underlying source: CVE List (CVE Program, The MITRE Corporation), record updated 2025-10-21T23:55:50.847Z.
Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.