EUVD-2026-44142
GHSA-4fp6-vmpf-q92c
Severity by source
AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Adjacent-network vector (AV:A) and low existing privileges (PR:L) match a DHCP-role EoP; low complexity and no UI, with full host compromise giving C/I/A:H.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows DHCP Server allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over an adjacent network.
AnalysisAI
Privilege escalation in Microsoft Windows DHCP Server (across Windows Server 2012 through 2025 and Windows 10 1607/1809) allows an authenticated attacker on an adjacent network to elevate privileges by triggering a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122). Exploitation yields full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact (C:H/I:H/A:H) on the affected server, effectively giving the attacker high-privilege control of the DHCP service host. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis, and the flaw is not listed in CISA KEV.
Technical ContextAI
The affected component is the Windows DHCP Server role, a core network-infrastructure service that leases IP addresses and network configuration to clients via the DHCP protocol (UDP 67/68) on a broadcast/link-local segment. The root cause is CWE-122, a heap-based buffer overflow, meaning attacker-controlled data written into a dynamically allocated (heap) buffer exceeds its bounds, corrupting adjacent heap metadata or objects. Because DHCP parsing runs in a privileged service context, controlled heap corruption can be steered toward attacker-influenced control-flow or object state to gain elevated privileges. The CPE data confirms this is a server-role vulnerability spanning Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019 (including Server Core installations) plus Windows 10 Version 1607 and 1809, with tags extending coverage to Windows Server 2022 and 2025.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2026-50683 (Patch available per vendor advisory) via the MSRC update guide at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50683; consult that page for the exact KB/build numbers matching each affected Windows Server and Windows 10 release, as specific fixed build numbers are not enumerated in the provided data and should not be invented. Prioritize patching servers that run the DHCP Server role on segments where less-trusted hosts reside. Where immediate patching is not possible, compensating controls include restricting layer-2/broadcast access to the DHCP server (e.g., segment DHCP servers onto tightly controlled VLANs and use DHCP relay/IP helper so untrusted clients never share the server's link, which limits the adjacent-network vector at the cost of relay configuration overhead), enabling DHCP snooping and port security on access switches to constrain who can reach the server, and monitoring for anomalous DHCP traffic. Do not disable the DHCP Server role as a workaround unless an alternative address-assignment mechanism is in place, since that will break network client provisioning.
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Same weakness CWE-122 – Heap-based Buffer Overflow
View allSame technique Heap Overflow
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today