CVE-2018-7249: An issue was discovered in secdrv.sys as shipped in Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows

This month

HIGH 7.0WATCHLISTMITIGATEMITIGATEMITIGATE

CVE-2018-7249 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.0) affecting windows 7, windows 8, windows 8.1. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

An issue was discovered in secdrv.sys as shipped in Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 before KB3086255, and as shipped in Macrovision SafeDisc. Two carefully timed calls to IOCTL 0xCA002813 can cause a race condition that leads to a use-after-free. When exploited, an unprivileged attacker can run arbitrary code in the kernel.

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference
On your watchlist

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.0 (High)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	High
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	1.5% (top 26%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-362, CWE-416
Published	2018-02-26
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: microsoft · tivo

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2018-02-26 20:29 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 02:02 UTCUpdated Record last modified

microsoft windows 7 MITIGATE

Affected: all versions

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

microsoft windows 8 MITIGATE

Affected: all versions

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

microsoft windows 8.1 MITIGATE

Affected: all versions

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

microsoft windows vista MITIGATE

Affected: all versions

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

tivo safedisc MITIGATE

Affected: all versions

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy safedisc || rpm -q safedisc || safedisc --version

No fixed or unaffected release known

Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory, disable the affected feature, or restrict network access.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2018-7249?

windows 7: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; windows 8: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; windows 8.1: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2018-7249 being exploited?

CVE-2018-7249 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2018-7249 affect?

CVE-2018-7249 affects windows 7, windows 8, windows 8.1. Severity is high (CVSS 7.0). An issue was discovered in secdrv.sys as shipped in Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 before KB3086255, and as shipped in Macrovision SafeDisc. Two carefully timed calls to IOCTL 0xCA002813 can cause a race cond

How urgent is CVE-2018-7249?

Priority 53/100. High severity; Public exploit reference; On your watchlist

Software pages

Windows vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2021-42285 HIGH 7.8 MITIGATE MITIGATE Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CVE-2021-42283 HIGH 8.8 MITIGATE MITIGATE NTFS Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CVE-2021-42275 HIGH 8.8 MITIGATE MITIGATE Microsoft COM for Windows Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CVE-2021-41377 HIGH 7.8 MITIGATE MITIGATE Windows Fast FAT File System Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CVE-2021-41371 MEDIUM 4.4 MITIGATE MITIGATE Windows Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Information Disclosure Vulnerability

References

← Back to latest CVEs