EUVD-2026-43966
GHSA-37p7-mhjw-vwh9
Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local EoP requiring an existing low-privileged session (AV:L, PR:L), no user interaction, low complexity, and full local C/I/A impact without scope change.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Improper validation of consistency within input in Windows Secure Kernel Mode allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
AnalysisAI
Local privilege escalation in Windows Secure Kernel Mode (SKM/VTL1) allows an already-authenticated attacker to elevate to higher privileges on affected Windows 10, Windows 11 (through 26H1), and Windows Server 2016-2025 systems. The flaw stems from improper consistency validation of input crossing the trust boundary into the isolated secure kernel (CWE-1288), yielding full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on the local host. Microsoft has released a patch; there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the CVE is not listed in CISA KEV.
Technical ContextAI
Secure Kernel Mode is the isolated, higher-trust execution environment (VTL1) enforced by Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) on Windows, used to protect security assets such as Credential Guard secrets, HVCI code-integrity policy, and kernel data structures from a compromised normal-world kernel (VTL0). The root cause is CWE-1288, 'Improper Validation of Consistency within Input' - data received by the secure kernel from the less-trusted side is not fully validated for internal consistency before use, so a malformed or contradictory input can drive the secure kernel into an unsafe state. Per the supplied CPE data the defect spans the Windows NT kernel/secure kernel component shipped across Windows 10 (1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2), Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2, 26H1), and Windows Server 2016/2019/2022/2025, indicating the vulnerable code is in a shared, long-lived OS component rather than an edge feature.
RemediationAI
Patch available per vendor advisory - apply the Microsoft security update for your specific OS build as listed at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42982 (exact fixed build numbers are enumerated there per platform; no standalone version string was provided in this data, so use the MSRC-listed KB for your edition). This is delivered through the standard monthly cumulative update, so prioritize deployment on multi-user, RDP/session-host, and jump-box systems where an authenticated low-privilege user could stage local escalation. Because exploitation requires local authenticated access, effective compensating controls until patching are to restrict interactive and remote-desktop logon rights to trusted accounts, enforce least privilege, and monitor for anomalous local process behavior; note these reduce but do not eliminate risk, since any low-privileged foothold satisfies the PR:L requirement. Ensure Virtualization-Based Security remains enabled as intended after patching.
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today