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Windows Event Tracing CVE-2026-70235

| EUVDEUVD-2026-99077 MEDIUM
Missing Authorization (CWE-862)
2026-10-13 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-mwwf-g3gx-m22m
5.5
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: microsoft
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Authenticate as low-privileged local user
  2. Delivery
    Access Windows Event Tracing interface
  3. Exploit
    Exploit improper authorization check
  4. Execution
    Forge or spoof trace event data
  5. Impact
    Mislead monitoring/forensic consumers

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization checks on every request
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the attacker to already hold a valid, low-privileged authenticated local account on an affected host (CVSS AV:L/PR:L) - specifically Windows 11 versions 24H2/25H2/26H1/26H2 below the patched builds, or Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core) below 10.0.26100.33650. The flaw is in the Windows Event Tracing (ETW) subsystem and enables spoofing (integrity impact only; C:N, A:N). Limiting factors: no remote vector, no privilege escalation beyond integrity spoofing, and no user interaction of a victim is required (UI:N) but a local authenticated foothold is mandatory, substantially narrowing realistic exposure to insiders or attackers who have already landed on the system.

Impact

This is a moderate-severity local spoofing issue (CVSS 5.5, CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N) in Windows Event Tracing (ETW) stemming from improper authorization (CWE-862). All signals point to a LOW real-world priority despite the integrity-high impact: the CVSS vector requires local access (AV:L) and existing low privileges (PR:L), so it is not remotely reachable. CISA's SSVC decision framework aligns with this - Exploitation: none, Automatable: no, Technical Impact: partial - indicating no observed exploitation and no mass-exploitation potential. The issue is NOT in CISA KEV and no public exploit code was identified, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis. No EPSS score was provided in the input, so exploitation-probability modeling cannot be cross-referenced. The 'Authentication Bypass' tag slightly overstates the flaw: the impact is spoofing/integrity (C:N, A:N), not a full authentication bypass granting access. Net: a legitimate but lower-tier patch-cycle item, not an emergency - prioritize behind internet-facing and remotely exploitable Windows flaws.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A low-privileged but authenticated local user on an affected Windows 11 or Windows Server 2025 host abuses the improper authentication in Event Tracing to spoof or forge event-tracing data, misrepresenting activity to monitoring/forensic consumers that trust ETW. Because the CVSS vector is AV:L/PR:L, the attacker must already have an interactive or authenticated foothold on the machine. No public proof-of-concept was identified at time of analysis.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 14, 2026

Spoofing of Windows Event Tracing (ETW) telemetry on affected Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 hosts allows a locally authenticated, low-privileged attacker (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N, base 5.5) to falsify event data, undermining the integrity of logs and monitoring without reading protected data or causing denial of service. Only hosts below the vendor's fixed builds are impacted - Windows 11 24H2/25H2 (10.0.26100.9711 / 10.0.26200.9711), Windows 11 26H1 (10.0.28000.3231), Windows 11 26H2 (10.0.26300.9711) and Windows Server 2025 including Server Core (10.0.26100.33650) - and exploitation additionally requires an attacker to already hold a valid low-privileged local account, so realistic exposure is largely insiders or intruders who have already obtained a foothold. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis; SSVC rates exploitation as 'none' and automatable as 'no', and vendor patches are available.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: install the Microsoft security update that brings each affected build to or above its fixed revision - Windows 11 24H2 to 10.0.26100.9711, Windows 11 25H2 to 10.0.26200.9711, Windows 11 26H1 to 10.0.28000.3231, Windows 11 26H2 to 10.0.26300.9711, and Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core) to 10.0.26100.33650 - as documented in the MSRC update guide at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-70235. Because exploitation requires a valid low-privileged local account, no configuration workaround fully closes the exposure; the effective compensating controls are administrative rather than technical. Restrict and audit local interactive logon and local account creation (for example via Group Policy 'Deny log on locally' for non-administrative groups, LAPS-managed credentials, and removal of unnecessary local accounts); this reduces the pool of attackers who can reach the ETW surface at all, at the cost of potentially disrupting shared-workstation or kiosk workflows. Where feasible, run high-value monitoring in a separate trust domain so that local ETW tampering cannot suppress detection, and forward ETW/event logs off-host in near real time so spoofed or deleted local records are detectable by comparison - this adds latency, bandwidth, and log-storage cost and requires the collector itself to be protected. Disabling ETW wholesale is not an acceptable mitigation: it breaks Windows telemetry, Defender/EDR agents, and much of the built-in auditing, and would create a far larger blind spot than the vulnerability itself, so treat any such change as a last resort with an explicit risk acceptance. Monitor for anomalous trace-session creation or tampering with event-log services and prioritize patching hosts where non-administrative users have interactive access. Note SSVC's assessment of exploitation 'none' and automatable 'no', so remediation can follow normal patch cycles rather than emergency change procedures.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 11 Version 26H2 10.0.26300.0 <10.0.26300.9711
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9711
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9711
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.3231
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650

Affected Packages

euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.9711
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.9711
euvd windows_11_version_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.3231
euvd windows_11_version_26h2 fix: 10.0.26300.9711
euvd windows_server_2025 fix: 10.0.26100.33650
euvd windows_server_2025_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.26100.33650

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 6 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 affected component is the Windows Event Tracing (ETW) subsystem, the kernel/user-mode telemetry framework that Windows, EDR agents, and security tooling rely on to record system and application activity. The root cause is classified as CWE-862 (Missing Authorization): ETW operations that should validate the caller's rights are not adequately authorized, letting a caller with only local low-privileged access (PR:L in the CVSS vector) manipulate tracing data. Microsoft's own description frames this as improper authentication, and the resulting impact is limited to integrity (I:H) with no confidentiality or availability effect, no scope change, and no required victim interaction (UI:N). Because the vector is AV:L and PR:L, the attacker must already have code execution or interactive logon on the host; this is a post-compromise integrity/tamper flaw rather than a remote entry point, and its practical significance lies in weakening audit trails and detection fidelity. The EUVD entry (EUVD-2026-99077) tracks the same flaw and enumerates the vulnerable build ranges, and the vendor advisory is published by secure@microsoft.com under MSRC's update guide.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 5.5 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
vuln.today AI 5.5 MEDIUM

Local ETW abuse by an already-authenticated low-privileged user, so AV:L/PR:L/AC:L; impact is spoofing (integrity) only, hence I:H with C:N and A:N.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Oct 13, 2026 - 20:20 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 13, 2026 - 19:19 cve.org
MEDIUM 5.5

DescriptionCVE.org

Improper authentication in Windows Event Tracing allows an authorized attacker to perform spoofing locally.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 80% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Core Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 component in most enterprise environments
Vendor Status
Publicly Disclosed:No
Exploited:No
Latest Software Release:Exploitation Less Likely
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

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.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.3%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

28
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +28
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

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