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Windows DWM EUVDEUVD-2026-100107

| CVE-2026-88180 HIGH
Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)
2026-10-13 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-369h-wpm3-8mr4
7.8
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
    Obtain low-privileged local foothold
  2. Delivery
    Run crafted program invoking DWM
  3. Exploit
    Trigger out-of-bounds read in DWM Core
  4. Execution
    Corrupt/leak kernel-adjacent memory
  5. Impact
    Elevate to SYSTEM privileges

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Bounds checking, read limits
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Collection

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

Exploitation Conditions

Requires the attacker to already execute code as an authenticated local user on the Windows host (AV:L, PR:L) - there is no remote or network-facing attack surface and no exploitation against external interfaces. The Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library is present and running by default on all supported Windows client and server installations (including Server Core builds per the EUVD list), so no non-default feature or configuration must be enabled. Limiting factors: the attacker must first obtain local low-privileged code execution, exploitation is per-host and not automatable (SSVC Automatable=no), and hosts patched to the fixed builds (e.g. Windows 11 24H2 ≥10.0.26100.9711, Server 2022 ≥10.0.20348.5761, Server 2019/Win10 1809 ≥10.0.17763.9376) are not affected.

Impact

This is a locally-exploitable elevation-of-privilege flaw (CVSS 7.8 HIGH, CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) in the Windows DWM Core Library. The signals are largely consistent and point to a real-but-not-emergency priority. The CVSS vector requires local access and existing low privileges (AV:L, PR:L), so this is not a remotely-wormable bug; it is a post-compromise privilege-escalation primitive. CISA's SSVC assessment reinforces this: Exploitation=none (no observed or public exploitation), Automatable=no (consistent with AV:L requiring an existing foothold and per-target interaction), but Technical Impact=total (consistent with the C:H/I:H/A:H full-impact rating of a SYSTEM-level EoP). There is no EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no POC in the provided data, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis. One nuance to verify: the root cause is an out-of-bounds READ (CWE-125), which most naturally yields information disclosure (memory leak), yet Microsoft rates full C:H/I:H/A:H - this is typical for Windows DWM EoP bugs where a memory-disclosure primitive is chained to achieve SYSTEM, but the I:H/A:H impact is Microsoft's assessment of the exploitable outcome rather than a direct consequence of a read alone. Overall: a legitimate patch-soon EoP for any multi-user or endpoint-hardening context, but not an internet-facing drop-everything item given the local vector and absence of exploitation evidence.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already has a low-privileged foothold on a Windows host (via phishing, a prior RCE, or a standard user account) runs a crafted program that triggers the out-of-bounds read in the DWM Core Library to corrupt or leak memory and escalate to SYSTEM. No user interaction is required (UI:N), but local code execution as an existing user is a prerequisite. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, so weaponization would require independent development.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026

Local privilege escalation in the Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library allows an authenticated local user who already has low-privileged code execution on a Windows host to elevate their privileges (CVSS 7.8 HIGH, CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, CWE-125 out-of-bounds read). Affected are unpatched Windows 10 (21H2/22H2/1809), Windows 11 (23H2/24H2/25H2/26H2) and Windows Server 2019/2022/2025 installations, including Server Core builds, since the DWM Core Library is present and active by default on every supported installation. Exploitation status: no public exploit identified at time of analysis, CISA SSVC rates Exploitation as none and Automatable as no, and the attack is per-host, requires prior local code execution, and is not remote or network-facing; a vendor patch is available and hosts updated to the fixed builds are not affected.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor-released patch: Microsoft has published fixed builds for every affected SKU, and the assessed safe versions include Windows 11 24H2 at 10.0.26100.9711 or later, Windows Server 2022 at 10.0.20348.5761 or later, and Windows Server 2019 / Windows 10 1809 at 10.0.17763.9376 or later; the EUVD data additionally lists the fixed builds Windows Server 2025 (and Server Core) at 10.0.26100.33650, Windows 11 23H2 at 10.0.22631.7652, Windows 11 25H2 at 10.0.26200.9711, Windows 11 26H2 at 10.0.26300.9711, and Windows 10 21H2/22H2 at 10.0.19044.7807. Obtain the applicable update and full version matrix from the Microsoft MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-88180 and prioritize patching on multi-user, RDP-accessible, and virtual-desktop hosts where an untrusted local user already exists. No practical configuration workaround exists because the Desktop Window Manager is a core, always-on compositor component and disabling it would break the Windows graphical shell, so compensating controls must target the prerequisite (local low-privileged code execution) rather than the flaw itself: enforce least privilege so standard users cannot load untrusted binaries, block untrusted executables and script engines with WDAC/AppLocker in enforced mode (trade-off: requires an allow-list maintenance process and can break legitimate line-of-business software), restrict interactive logon and RDP access on shared/hosted systems to reduce the pool of users who could reach the local attack surface, enable Credential Guard and LSA protection to limit the value of any elevation achieved, and monitor for suspicious process-token or privilege changes around dwm.exe-era composition sessions. Note that the SSVC assessment rates Exploitation as none and Automatable as no, so this is a scheduled-patch item rather than an emergency one, but exploitation does grant full confidentiality, integrity and availability impact on the host once a local foothold exists.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9711
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5761
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows 11 Version 26H2 10.0.26300.0 <10.0.26300.9711
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7652
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9711
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19044.7807
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7807

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.9376
euvd windows_10_version_21h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7807
euvd windows_10_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7807
euvd windows_11_version_23h2 fix: 10.0.22631.7652
euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.9711
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.9711
euvd windows_11_version_26h2 fix: 10.0.26300.9711
euvd windows_server_2019 fix: 10.0.17763.9376
euvd windows_server_2019_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.17763.9376
euvd windows_server_2022 fix: 10.0.20348.5761
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 12 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 Desktop Window Manager (DWM) is the Windows compositor that owns window compositing, rendering and shared-surface handling, implemented in the DWM Core Library (dwmcore.dll) that runs on every supported Windows client and server edition, including Server Core. The flaw is classified as CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read), meaning the library reads memory beyond the bounds of an intended buffer - typically while parsing or processing a caller-supplied structure such as a composition surface, window, or graphics resource. An out-of-bounds read is fundamentally an information-disclosure primitive (it can leak adjacent heap or stack contents into a result the attacker can observe), but within a local elevation-of-privilege context the attacker uses it to obtain memory layout or guard data, or as a stepping stone in a chain that the assessed CVSS impact (C:H/I:H/A:H with Scope:U) treats as full confidentiality, integrity and availability impact on the component. The CVSS vector AV:L/PR:L/UI:N confirms this is not remotely reachable: the attacker must already be running code as an authenticated user on the target host, DWM offers no network-facing interface, and no user interaction is needed once that foothold exists. Per the EUVD data the affected CPE-identified builds span Windows Server 2025 (10.0.26100.0), Windows 11 24H2/25H2/26H2 (10.0.26100.0/10.0.26200.0/10.0.26300.0), Windows 11 23H2 (10.0.22631.0), Windows Server 2022 (10.0.20348.0), and Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 1809/21H2/22H2 (10.0.17763.0/10.0.19044.0/10.0.19045.0), with Windows Server 2019 and Server 2025 Server Core installations explicitly listed.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Local privilege escalation needing an existing low-privileged account (AV:L, PR:L), no interaction (UI:N), reliably triggerable (AC:L), yielding SYSTEM-level full impact (C/I/A:H).

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/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
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Oct 13, 2026 - 20:20 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 13, 2026 - 19:21 cve.org
HIGH 7.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Out-of-bounds read in Windows DWM Core Library allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A high-severity local privilege escalation flaw in the Windows Desktop Window Manager Core Library affects virtually every supported Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2019/2022/2025 host in the organization, including Server Core builds, because the vulnerable component is active by default. The flaw only matters to an attacker who has already obtained low-privileged code execution on a machine, but from that foothold it allows full administrative control of the host, so it materially amplifies the impact of any initial compromise such as phishing or a malicious download. Leadership should care because remediation is a routine vendor patch cycle across a very large estate, and unpatched endpoints give attackers a reliable shortcut from a minor beachhead to domain-relevant credentials and lateral movement.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 85% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
core Windows graphics component present in all supported Windows client and server builds
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 HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
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
Defer
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

39
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +39
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

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.

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