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CVE-2016-7255 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows win32k kernel component affecting multiple supported Windows client and server releases, including Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10 Gold/1511/1607, and Windows Server 2016. The flaw has been described as memory corruption in NtUserSetWindowLongPtr within win32k.sys. A locally executed crafted application can trigger the vulnerable code path and corrupt kernel memory, enabling escalation from a normal user context to elevated privileges. Reporting and exploit analyses consistently characterize it as a Win32k elevation-of-privilege issue that was exploited in the wild by both espionage and crimeware operators.
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1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (3 hidden).
This repository contains a proof-of-concept (PoC) local privilege escalation exploit for CVE-2016-7255, a vulnerability in the Windows kernel (win32k.sys) that allows an unprivileged user to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. The main exploit logic is implemented in 'CVE-2016-7255/CVE-2016-7255.cpp', which orchestrates the attack by detecting the OS version, locating necessary kernel structures, and manipulating window objects to corrupt kernel memory. The exploit ultimately overwrites the current process's security token with that of the SYSTEM process, then spawns a SYSTEM-level command shell (cmd.exe). The project is structured as a Visual Studio C++ solution, with supporting header files, an assembly file for system calls, and project configuration files. The exploit is designed for research and demonstration purposes and is not weaponized for automated or remote attacks. It targets unpatched Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 systems. No network endpoints are involved; the attack vector is purely local, requiring code execution on the target machine.
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10 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
A previously known SetWindowLongPtr-related Windows vulnerability mentioned only as historical background.
A Windows local privilege escalation vulnerability involving memory corruption in NtUserSetWindowLongPtr, originally exploited as a 0-Day and later reused by PlayBit and malware operators.
A Windows kernel local privilege escalation zero-day involving memory corruption in NtUserSetWindowLongPtr that was later widely reused, including by ransomware actors.
A Windows vulnerability linked in the article to exploit sales by Volodya and use by the Fancy Bear/APT28 threat group.
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Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.
Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.