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Windows Management Services CVE-2026-70348

| EUVDEUVD-2026-56601 MEDIUM
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access (CWE-59)
2026-08-11 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-gg46-jqg3-93wc
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
    Gain local authenticated user session
  2. Delivery
    Identify file path accessed by Windows Management Services
  3. Exploit
    Create malicious directory junction at target path
  4. Execution
    Service resolves junction without validation
  5. Persist
    File operation redirected to unintended target
  6. Impact
    Windows Management Services crashes or becomes unavailable

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Symlink resolution safety
Exploitation Conditions

The attacker must hold an active local session on the affected Windows 11 host - either interactive or via a remote desktop session - with at minimum a standard (low-privilege) user account, consistent with PR:L in the CVSS vector. Windows Management Services must be running, which is the default state on affected Windows 11 builds. Exploitation requires the ability to create directory junctions on the local filesystem; unlike symbolic links, junctions do not require the SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege and are creatable by standard user accounts, making this a practical prerequisite on default configurations. Exploitation is limited to availability impact only (no data exfiltration or privilege escalation path is indicated), the attack is local-only (no network exposure), and no user interaction beyond the attacker's own session is required.

Impact

The CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H) places this vulnerability in the medium-severity band with a strictly local attack vector - remote exploitation is not possible. The low privilege requirement (PR:L) means a standard user account suffices, which is a relevant risk on shared workstations, VDI environments, or developer machines where multiple users have interactive sessions. No EPSS data was provided in the source intelligence, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified independently. The absence of a CISA KEV listing and lack of any identified POC further support treating this as a lower-priority item in most environments; even a mid-sized municipal IT team in sanok should weigh this against higher-severity network-exploitable flaws before dedicating emergency patching resources. Notably, the source tag 'Information Disclosure' is inconsistent with the CVSS vector (C:N, I:N) and the description, which confirms a denial-of-service outcome only - this tag appears to be a mis-categorization and should not be used to infer data exposure risk.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A standard Windows user account on an affected Windows 11 host creates a directory junction at a filesystem path that Windows Management Services accesses during normal operation. When the service follows the junction without verifying the resolved target, it is redirected to an unintended location, causing a file access failure that crashes or stalls the service. No public proof-of-concept exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, but the technique is well-understood and does not require advanced tooling.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.4% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 11, 2026

Windows Management Services on Windows 11 contains an improper link resolution flaw (CWE-59) that allows an authenticated local attacker to crash or disable the service by planting a malicious symbolic link or directory junction at a file path the service accesses. Affected builds span Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1, with patched builds confirmed by Microsoft via MSRC. No active exploitation has been confirmed in CISA KEV, and no public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis.

RemediationAI

Apply the Microsoft security update that advances Windows 11 24H2 to build 10.0.26100.9168 or later, Windows 11 25H2 to build 10.0.26200.9168 or later, and Windows 11 26H1 to build 10.0.28000.2704 or later, as detailed in the MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-70348. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict interactive local logon rights to only necessary administrative accounts via Group Policy (User Rights Assignment → 'Allow log on locally'), reducing the pool of principals who can plant malicious junctions - though this may disrupt legitimate user workflows on shared systems. No vendor-documented workaround was provided in the available references beyond applying the patch.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9168
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.2704
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9168

Affected Packages

euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.9168
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.9168
euvd windows_11_version_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.2704

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 3 packages in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access, commonly called 'link following') arises when a privileged component resolves a symbolic link or filesystem junction without validating the resolved target before performing a file operation. Windows Management Services - present by default in Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1 - fails to perform safe path resolution, allowing a low-privileged local user to redirect the service's file access to an arbitrary target. On Windows, directory junctions can be created by standard user accounts without the SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege, making this a realistic exploitation path. The CVSS vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L confirms a local, low-complexity attack requiring only a standard user session. The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the vulnerability does not allow breakout beyond the service boundary, and impact is limited to availability (A:H), consistent with a targeted denial-of-service against the service.

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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:N/A:H
vuln.today AI 5.5 MEDIUM

Local attack via junction planting by a standard user; no confidentiality or integrity impact; high availability impact from service crash.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/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
None
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Aug 11, 2026 - 18:19 EUVD
CVE Published
Aug 11, 2026 - 17:19 nvd
MEDIUM 5.5

DescriptionCVE.org

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Management Services allows an authorized attacker to deny service locally.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.4%
Top 64% exploitable
Prevalence
High
Windows 11 widely deployed across enterprise and consumer environments globally.
Vendor Status
Publicly Disclosed:No
Exploited:No
Latest Software Release:Exploitation Less Likely
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

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 0.4%
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
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
High
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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