EUVD-2026-44273
GHSA-gqp7-j73x-j9wc
Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local privilege escalation by an authenticated low-privileged user (AV:L, PR:L) with no user interaction and full SYSTEM-level compromise of C/I/A, matching the reported vector.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Improper access control in Extensible Storage Engine (ESENT) allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
AnalysisAI
Local privilege elevation in the Windows Extensible Storage Engine (ESENT) database library allows an already-authenticated low-privileged user on affected Windows 10 1809, Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025 systems to gain higher privileges, with full loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The flaw stems from improper access control (CWE-284) in a core OS component that services many system databases. Microsoft has released a patch; there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the issue is not listed in CISA KEV.
Technical ContextAI
ESENT (Extensible Storage Engine, esent.dll), also known as the JET Blue database engine, is a core indexed/sequential storage library built into Windows and used by numerous system components such as Active Directory (NTDS.dit), Windows Update, Windows Search, and certificate/security databases. The root cause is CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), meaning the engine fails to correctly enforce authorization boundaries on a resource it manages, letting a caller reach or manipulate objects it should not be permitted to. Because ESENT runs on behalf of privileged system services, a local caller who can influence its handling of protected resources can cross a security boundary and escalate. The affected CPEs are limited to Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809, Windows Server 2019 (including Server Core), Windows Server 2022, and Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core).
RemediationAI
Patch available per vendor advisory: apply the Microsoft security update for your specific Windows SKU as documented at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-57088 - the exact fixed build/KB number is listed per product in that MSRC guide (not enumerated in the supplied data, so consult the advisory for your OS version). Prioritize deployment on shared, multi-user, and remotely-accessible hosts (RDP servers, domain members, Server Core hosts) where low-privileged users can execute code. Because ESENT is a built-in OS component with no configurable feature to disable, there is no supported feature-level workaround; the compensating control until patching is to tighten local access - restrict interactive and remote logon rights so only trusted accounts can run code on affected systems, and monitor for unexpected local privilege escalation, accepting that this reduces attack opportunity but does not remediate the flaw.
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Same weakness CWE-284 – Improper Access Control
View allSame technique Authentication Bypass
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External POC / Exploit Code
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