Skip to main content
View

Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Authorized local user logs in
  2. Delivery
    Access Desktop Window Manager via local API
  3. Exploit
    Exploit type confusion vulnerability
  4. Execution
    Trigger memory corruption
  5. Impact
    Elevate privileges to SYSTEM

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
CWE-843
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2021 - Vulnerable and Outdated Components
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Type safety enforcement
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Sign in to read
Exploitation Conditions

Attacker must have valid local user account credentials. Desktop Window Manager must be running with privilege elevation capability. No special configuration required beyond standard Windows desktop environment setup.
Impact

CVSS 7.8 (High). KEV-listed — actively exploited. Requires authenticated local access. Reliable privilege escalation to SYSTEM. DWM runs on all Windows desktop systems. EPSS 2.7%.
Exploit ScenarioDerived

After gaining initial access to a Windows system, an attacker runs a crafted application that interacts with DWM to trigger the type confusion. The resulting memory corruption is leveraged to overwrite a kernel structure, enabling elevation from standard user to SYSTEM privileges. This allows credential dumping, persistence installation, and lateral movement.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: In CISA KEV with patch available.
Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV) Patch available 3.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 12, 2026

Desktop Window Manager (DWM) in Windows contains a type confusion vulnerability (CVE-2026-21519, CVSS 7.8) that enables authorized local attackers to escalate privileges. KEV-listed, this kernel-level vulnerability in the Windows compositor allows any authenticated user to achieve SYSTEM-level access through exploitation of an incompatible type access in DWM's resource handling.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
v1 Mar 12, 2026 - 22:02 CVSS 7.8

Windows Desktop Window Manager contains a type confusion vulnerability (CWE-843) where resources are accessed using incompatible types, leading to memory corruption and local privilege escalation to SYSTEM.

RemediationAI

Apply Microsoft security update. Monitor for suspicious DWM interactions. Implement least-privilege access to limit impact of privilege escalation. Use endpoint detection for post-exploitation behaviors.

Affected Packages

microsoft windows_10_version_1607_10_0_14393_8868 fix: Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.14393.8868, Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems 10.0.14393.8868
microsoft windows_10_version_1809_10_0_17763_8389 fix: Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.17763.8389, Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems 10.0.17763.8389
microsoft windows_10_version_21h2_10_0_19044_6937 fix: Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.19044.6937, Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.19044.6937, Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.19044.6937
microsoft windows_10_version_22h2_10_0_19045_6937 fix: Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.19045.6937, Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.19045.6937, Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.19045.6937
microsoft windows_11_version_23h2_10_0_22631_6649 fix: Windows 11 Version 23H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.22631.6649, Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.22631.6649
microsoft windows_11_version_24h2_10_0_26100_7840 fix: Windows 11 Version 24H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.26100.7840, Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.26100.7840
microsoft windows_11_version_25h2_10_0_26200_7840 fix: Windows 11 Version 25H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.26200.7840, Windows 11 Version 25H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.26200.7840
microsoft windows_11_version_26h1_10_0_28000_1575 fix: Windows 11 Version 26H1 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.28000.1575, Windows 11 version 26H1 for x64-based Systems 10.0.28000.1575
microsoft windows_server_2016_10_0_14393_8868 fix: Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.8868, Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.8868
microsoft windows_server_2019_10_0_17763_8389 fix: Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.8389, Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.8389
microsoft windows_server_2022_10_0_20348_4773 fix: Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.4773, Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) 10.0.20348.4773
microsoft windows_server_2022_23h2_edition_10_0_25398_2149 fix: Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) 10.0.25398.2149
microsoft windows_server_2025_10_0_26100_32370 fix: Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.32370, Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.32370

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 13 packages in microsoft

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Sign in to check
Technical ContextAI · show details

DWM is the Windows desktop compositor running as a SYSTEM-level service. The type confusion occurs when DWM accesses an internal resource using an incompatible type, causing the data to be misinterpreted. Because DWM runs with SYSTEM privileges and handles rendering for all desktop applications, exploiting this vulnerability grants complete system control. DWM vulnerabilities are valuable post-compromise tools.

Know when Windows 10 1607 gets its next vulnerability

  • Watch products and get an email when something new is published
  • Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
Continue with Google Continue with GitHub

No credit card · 7-day full trial

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Added to CISA KEV
Feb 11, 2026 - 16:13 cisa
CISA KEV
CVE Published
Feb 10, 2026 - 18:16 nvd
HIGH 7.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Access of resource using incompatible type ('type confusion') in Desktop Window Manager allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

CVE-2026-21519 is a high-severity Windows vulnerability actively exploited in the wild that allows authenticated users to gain SYSTEM-level access to affected systems. This poses an immediate risk to organizational security posture, as any user with local access-including contractors, remote workers, or compromised standard accounts-can escalate privileges and take full control of critical systems.

Business Impact: Severe
Compensating Controls

Enable Credential Guard on Windows 10/11 to isolate credential material; implement AppLocker or Windows Defender Application Control to restrict code execution; enforce multi-factor authentication for all local and remote access; disable or restrict access to DWM-dependent applications where operationally feasible; apply principle of least privilege—remove standard users from local admin groups; segment high-value systems from general user networks; monitor and log privilege escalation attempts via Event ID 4688 and Sysmon process tracking.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
3.1%
Top 13% exploitable
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium
NVD CVE.org CISA KEV EPSS VulDB

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV Yes
Public POC No
EPSS 3.1%
Patch available Yes
Active threat Yes
Deciding rule
In CISA KEV with patch available
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Out-of-Cycle
Exploitation· derived
Active
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
Very High

Priority Score

92
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: +50
EPSS: +3
CVSS: +39
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Buffer Overflow HIGH

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_21h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_21h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_21h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_22h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_22h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_22h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_24h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_24h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_25h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_25h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2019:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2022:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2022_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
+ 1 more

More in Windows 10 1607

View all
CVE-2021-40444 HIGH POC
8.8 Sep 15

Windows MSHTML component contains a remote code execution vulnerability that allows attackers to craft malicious ActiveX
CVE-2021-34527 HIGH POC
8.8 Jul 02

<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged fi
CVE-2022-30190 HIGH POC
7.8 Jun 01

Windows MSDT (Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool) allows remote code execution when called via the ms-msdt URL protocol f
CVE-2017-0147 HIGH POC
7.5 Mar 17

The SMBv1 server in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2; Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1; Windows 7 SP1; Windows 8.1; Windows
CVE-2018-8174 HIGH POC
7.5 May 09

The Windows VBScript engine contains a remote code execution vulnerability in object handling that allows full system co
CVE-2021-1675 HIGH POC
7.8 Jun 08

Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no auth
CVE-2016-7255 HIGH POC
7.8 Nov 10

The Win32k kernel-mode driver in Windows Vista through Windows Server 2016 allows local privilege escalation, exploited

CVE-2023-36884 HIGH POC
7.5 Jul 11

Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely explo
CVE-2023-44487 HIGH POC
7.5 Oct 10

Denial of service against HTTP/2 server implementations allows remote unauthenticated attackers to exhaust server resour
CVE-2024-30088 HIGH POC
7.0 Jun 11

Windows Kernel contains a TOCTOU race condition vulnerability allowing local privilege escalation, exploited by the OilR
CVE-2019-1458 HIGH POC
7.8 Dec 10

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in

CVE-2018-8453 HIGH POC
7.8 Oct 10

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in

Same weakness CWE-843 – Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type (Type Confusion)

View all
CVE-2011-0611 HIGH POC
8.8
CVE-2012-0507 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2017-8291 HIGH POC
7.8
CVE-2016-7201 HIGH POC
8.8
CVE-2017-0037 HIGH POC
8.1
CVE-2019-0752 HIGH POC
7.5
CVE-2017-5070 HIGH POC
8.8
CVE-2023-3079 HIGH POC
8.8

Same technique Buffer Overflow

View all
CVE-2017-7269 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2015-5119 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2015-3113 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2011-2462 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2020-0796 CRITICAL POC
10.0
CVE-2019-11043 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2009-0927 HIGH POC
8.8
CVE-2012-1889 HIGH POC
8.8

References

Advisories & patches
ADVISORY https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-21519 ADVISORY https://vuldb.com/?id.345295 REF https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-21519

Search Externally

GitHub PoC Exploit-DB PacketStorm Snyk Rapid7 Nuclei Templates Trickest PoC
Back

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy