Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessCraft malicious FAT32 volume
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DeliveryDeliver via USB/removable media or mountable image
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ExploitTrigger fastfat.sys auto-parse on mount
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ExecutionHeap overflow corrupts kernel memory
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ImpactExecute arbitrary code in kernel (ring 0)
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
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. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires that the attacker can cause Windows to mount or parse a crafted FAT filesystem - the most direct path is physical access to insert removable media (USB drive, SD card) that Windows auto-mounts, but a non-privileged local user who can mount a VHD or ISO image containing a FAT volume achieves the same effect. The AC:H rating indicates that the crafted FAT structure must meet specific triggering conditions, meaning exploitation is not trivially reliable. No Windows account credentials are required (PR:N), and the driver parses the volume without requiring the user to interact with any files (UI:N). Exploitation is limited to systems where the Fast FAT driver is active (all supported Windows versions), where the attacker has local physical access or the ability to mount arbitrary disk images, and where the specific heap corruption condition can be reliably triggered in the target kernel build. |
| Impact | The provided CVSS 7.4 (AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) reflects a kernel-level local privilege escalation with full-system impact potential, but bounded by high attack complexity and the local attack vector. AC:H is meaningful here: the attacker must craft a FAT volume that triggers the exact overflow condition, which requires non-trivial filesystem engineering. PR:N with AV:L is consistent with a physical-access or auto-mount scenario where no Windows credentials are needed. No EPSS data was provided, no KEV listing exists, and no public POC has been identified - so real-world exploitation probability is currently unquantified. The greatest risk is in environments where untrusted removable media is inserted (kiosks, workstations, shared lab machines) or where non-privileged local users can mount arbitrary disk images. For hardened enterprise desktops with removable-media policies enforced, actual exploitability is further constrained. The wide version span (Server 2012 through latest Windows 11 builds) suggests a long-standing driver deficiency rather than a newly introduced regression. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker with physical access to a target workstation inserts a USB drive formatted with a maliciously crafted FAT32 volume containing specially structured metadata designed to trigger the heap overflow in fastfat.sys upon auto-mount. Windows automatically loads the Fast FAT driver to parse the volume without requiring the user to open any files; the overflow corrupts kernel heap memory, and the attacker achieves kernel-mode code execution without any Windows credentials. No public POC exists at time of analysis, so this scenario currently requires significant attacker capability to implement. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 09, 2026
Heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows Fast FAT filesystem driver (fastfat.sys) enables local code execution across a wide range of Windows client and server versions. The vulnerability is reachable without elevated privileges (PR:N, AV:L) under high-complexity conditions, suggesting a crafted FAT volume - such as a malicious USB drive or mounted disk image - can trigger the overflow in kernel space. No public exploit or active exploitation has been identified at time of analysis, but the combination of full C:H/I:H/A:H impact and breadth of affected versions (Windows 10 through Windows 11 26H1 and Server 2012 through Server 2025) makes patching a priority for environments with physical or removable-media exposure.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft-released security update via Windows Update or WSUS immediately. Specific fixed builds are: Windows 10 21H2/22H2 → 10.0.19044.7725/10.0.19045.7725; Windows 11 23H2 → 10.0.22631.7582; Windows 11 24H2/25H2 → 10.0.26100.9445/10.0.26200.9445; Windows 11 26H1 → 10.0.28000.2954; Windows Server 2012 → 6.2.9200.26349; Windows Server 2012 R2 → 6.3.9600.23397; Windows Server 2016/Windows 10 1607 → 10.0.14393.9512; Windows Server 2019/Windows 10 1809 → 10.0.17763.9245; Windows Server 2022 → 10.0.20348.5622; Windows Server 2025 → 10.0.26100.33438. Where immediate patching is not feasible, enforce USB/removable-media block policies via Group Policy (Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → System → Removable Storage Access) to deny access to removable disks - this prevents the primary attack vector without impacting system functionality. Additionally, restrict the ability of unprivileged users to mount disk images (VHD/ISO) using AppLocker or Windows Defender Application Control rules. These mitigations reduce but do not eliminate risk (e.g., a compromised but non-privileged account on an unpatched system may still trigger the driver via other FAT mount paths).
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 19 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 Windows Fast FAT Driver (fastfat.sys) is the kernel-mode driver responsible for parsing and servicing FAT12/FAT16/FAT32 filesystems on Windows. CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow) indicates that when the driver processes a specially crafted FAT volume structure - such as malformed directory entries, cluster chains, or FAT metadata - it writes beyond the bounds of a heap-allocated buffer. Because this executes in the Windows kernel (ring 0), a successful overflow can corrupt adjacent heap memory, leading to arbitrary kernel code execution. The AV:L vector confirms the attacker requires the ability to cause the driver to load and parse a controlled FAT volume; this is achievable via a USB storage device, a mounted VHD/ISO image, or a network share presenting a FAT filesystem.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local vector for FAT volume mount; no credentials needed; AC:H for crafted filesystem structure; full kernel-level C/I/A impact.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Fast FAT Driver allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
Executive ViewAI
A local code execution vulnerability in the Windows Fast FAT filesystem driver affects Windows 10, 11, and Server 2012-2025, enabling complete system compromise through crafted storage media such as USB drives or mounted disk images. No administrator account is required; any user who connects untrusted removable storage can trigger the vulnerability. Organizations with widespread removable-media usage face elevated risk of data exfiltration, malware installation, and lateral movement within the network.
Apply vendor patch. If patch deployment is delayed, restrict removable media access via Group Policy ("Devices: Restrict access to removable drives") or BIOS configuration, and disable AutoPlay for USB and external storage devices until patching is complete.
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
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.
A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.
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EUVD-2026-73226
GHSA-gpxw-2w54-r4m7
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB