CVE-2018-0804 is a vulnerability that affected Microsoft Windows operating systems. The flaw allowed an attacker to gain elevated privileges on a system, giving them the ability to execute arbitrary code and access sensitive information. This type of vulnerability is commonly referred to as a privilege escalation vulnerability.
The vulnerability was discovered in January 2018 and disclosed by Microsoft shortly after. Microsoft released a patch for the vulnerability as part of its February 2018 Patch Tuesday updates. The patch addressed the vulnerability by correcting the way Windows handles certain processes and user tokens.
If left unpatched, this vulnerability could have serious consequences as an attacker could potentially compromise an entire system and gain full control over it. Users and organizations are strongly advised to apply the patch provided by Microsoft as soon as possible to ensure the security of their systems. Proper security measures such as regular software updates and implementing a strong security posture can greatly reduce the risk of being affected by such vulnerabilities in the future.