Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
-
AccessObtain low-privilege local session
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DeliveryInteract with Windows USB Driver interface
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ExploitTrigger out-of-bounds read in kernel
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ExecutionExpose or corrupt privileged kernel memory
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ImpactEscalate to SYSTEM privileges
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V2 - Validation and Business Logic Input validation, allowlisting
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires a locally authenticated account with at least low-privilege access (PR:L per CVSS vector) on the target Windows system - any standard domain or local user account qualifies. The attacker must be able to interact with the Windows USB Driver subsystem, which is accessible to all logged-in users by default and does not require special configuration or USB hardware to be physically connected in all exploitation paths. No elevated privileges, administrative rights, special system configuration, or interaction from a second user are required. Exploitation is strictly local (AV:L); an attacker cannot exploit this remotely without first establishing a local authenticated session via another vector. Attack complexity is low (AC:L), meaning no race conditions, heap sprays, or complex timing are required for reliable exploitation. |
| Impact | The CVSS 7.8 score accurately reflects a reliable local privilege escalation: low attack complexity (AC:L) implies no race conditions or complex setup, and low privilege requirement (PR:L) means any authenticated local user - including domain guest or standard accounts - can attempt exploitation. EPSS data was not provided in the input, so exploitation probability cannot be quantified independently. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA KEV and no POC is known at time of analysis, reducing immediate urgency relative to actively exploited LPE chains. However, the breadth of affected versions - spanning consumer Windows 10/11 through enterprise Server 2025, including end-of-support Server 2012 R2 - substantially amplifies organizational exposure. In post-compromise scenarios (e.g., initial access via phishing or credential theft followed by LPE to SYSTEM), this class of flaw is a staple of attacker toolkits. The low complexity is the most operationally significant signal here: defenders should not treat a 7.8 LPE as lower priority than a higher-scored but harder-to-exploit network vulnerability. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has obtained a standard low-privileged Windows account - via phishing, credential stuffing, or lateral movement - interacts with the Windows USB Driver interface on an unpatched system, triggering the out-of-bounds read in kernel memory. The disclosed kernel data is used to construct a reliable privilege escalation payload, elevating the attacker's context from the standard user account to SYSTEM without requiring any action from another user. No public exploit code is known at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 09, 2026
Privilege escalation via an out-of-bounds read in the Windows USB Driver affects a broad range of Windows client and server editions, enabling a locally authenticated low-privilege attacker to gain full SYSTEM-level control without user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) reflects low attack complexity with no special setup required beyond a valid local session. No public exploit code or CISA KEV listing has been identified at time of analysis, though the ubiquitous Windows footprint and accessibility of the USB driver to standard user accounts make this a credible post-compromise privilege escalation primitive.
RemediationAI
Apply the vendor-released security update via Windows Update, WSUS, or the Microsoft Update Catalog; exact KB article numbers per version are listed in the MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69295. Patched build thresholds per EUVD data: Windows Server 2025/11 24H2 ≥10.0.26100.33438 (Server 2025) and ≥10.0.26100.9445 (11 24H2); Windows 11 23H2 ≥10.0.22631.7582; Windows 10 21H2/22H2 ≥10.0.19045.7725; Windows 10 1607/Server 2016 ≥10.0.14393.9512; Windows Server 2019/10 1809 ≥10.0.17763.9245; Windows Server 2022 ≥10.0.20348.5622; Windows Server 2012 R2 ≥6.3.9600.23397. Where immediate patching is not feasible, deploy Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's USB device control policies (or Group Policy equivalents) to restrict which user accounts may interact with USB devices - this raises the exploitation bar but does not eliminate the flaw for users who retain USB access. Note that blanket USB block policies may disrupt legitimate hardware use (keyboards, mice, MFA tokens) and require careful scoping.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 17 packages in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
The vulnerability resides in the Windows USB Driver subsystem, a kernel-mode component present across all supported Windows client and server editions. The reported CWE is CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation), which serves as a broad parent classification; the description more specifically identifies the mechanism as an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125), where insufficiently validated input allows the driver to read memory beyond an intended buffer boundary. Because the Windows USB driver stack operates in ring-0 (kernel mode), an exploitable out-of-bounds read in this layer can expose privileged kernel memory structures or create conditions enabling privilege escalation from a standard user account to SYSTEM. The affected build ranges span Windows 10 through Windows 11 26H1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 through Server 2025, as catalogued in EUVD-2026-73435.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Low-privilege local session sufficient to reach USB driver interface; kernel-level LPE via OOB read yields full C/I/A impact with no complexity barrier.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Out-of-bounds read in Windows USB Driver allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
Windows USB Driver privilege escalation allows authenticated local users to gain full administrative control, transforming routine endpoint compromises into complete infrastructure takeover. This affects all Windows client and server deployments and poses particular risk for hybrid workforces with shared systems or remote access. Organizations must prioritize remediation to prevent attackers from leveraging this post-compromise escalation vector for data theft, malware persistence, and lateral movement.
Apply vendor patch.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
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.
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EUVD-2026-73435
GHSA-jr47-68cx-62gf
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB