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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Authenticate locally with low privileges
  2. Delivery
    Repeatedly trigger RDP use-after-free (win race)
  3. Exploit
    Reuse freed object to corrupt memory
  4. Execution
    Hijack execution in privileged context
  5. Impact
    Elevate to SYSTEM

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Memory lifecycle management
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, 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 have authenticated, low-privileged local access to the target Windows host (AV:L, PR:L) - there is no network or unauthenticated path. The flaw lives in the Windows Remote Desktop Protocol component, and the High attack complexity (AC:H) indicates a non-deterministic trigger, most likely a race condition against the freed object that the attacker must win, making reliable exploitation harder and often requiring multiple attempts. No user interaction is needed (UI:N). Limiting factors for defenders: an attacker must first obtain a local foothold with valid credentials, and the timing-dependent use-after-free reduces reliability; patching to the fixed build per EUVD-2026-100225 (e.g. Windows 11 24H2 ≥10.0.26100.9711, Server 2025 ≥10.0.26100.33650) removes the condition entirely.

Impact

This is a CVSS 3.1 base 7.0 (High) local elevation-of-privilege flaw (CWE-416 use-after-free) in the Windows Remote Desktop Protocol component. The CVSS vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H materially tempers the headline score: exploitation requires local access (AV:L), the attacker must already hold at least low-level credentials (PR:L, i.e. authenticated), and attack complexity is High (AC:H) - consistent with a use-after-free that likely depends on winning a race or a specific memory-timing window rather than a deterministic trigger. The upside for an attacker if successful is full compromise of confidentiality, integrity and availability on the local host (C:H/I:H/A:H, scope unchanged). Critically, several exploitation-pressure signals are ABSENT from the input: no EPSS probability is provided, there is no CISA KEV listing, and no public proof-of-concept is referenced - so exploitation status is 'no public exploit identified at time of analysis.' The combination of local-only vector, required authentication, and high attack complexity places this well below a drop-everything priority; it is a credible second-stage privilege-escalation primitive for an attacker who already has a foothold, not a mass-exploitation or perimeter-breach risk. Because EPSS is missing, probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be compared against the KEV/POC signals - this gap should be noted when prioritizing.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who has already gained low-privileged authenticated access to a Windows host (for example via phishing, stolen credentials, or an earlier foothold) runs a local exploit that repeatedly drives the RDP component into a use-after-free condition, winning the race required by the high-complexity trigger to reuse freed memory. Successful corruption lets the attacker execute code in a higher-privilege context and escalate to SYSTEM. No public exploit code is referenced in the available data, so weaponization effort currently rests with the attacker.

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 Remote Desktop Protocol component allows an authenticated, low-privileged user on an affected Windows host to win a race against freed memory and execute code with higher privileges, up to SYSTEM on the local machine. Successful exploitation requires an existing local foothold with valid credentials plus a high-complexity, timing-dependent trigger (CVSS 3.1 base 7.0, AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N), making this a post-compromise escalation step rather than a remote entry point. Microsoft has published a fix for the affected servicing branches, and no public exploit code or confirmed active exploitation was identified at time of analysis.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: install the Microsoft cumulative update that brings each branch to its fixed build as enumerated in EUVD-2026-100225 and the MSRC update guide, for example Windows 11 24H2 to 10.0.26100.9711 or later, Windows 11 23H2 to 10.0.22631.7652 or later, Windows Server 2025 to 10.0.26100.33650 or later, Windows Server 2022 to 10.0.20348.5761 or later, Windows Server 2019 to 10.0.17763.9376 or later, Windows 10 22H2 to 10.0.19044.7807 or later, and Windows Server 2012 R2 to 6.3.9600.23470 or later; patch details and per-build download links are at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96322. Until every in-scope host is updated, compensate on the assumption that the attacker already holds valid low-privileged credentials: remove unnecessary local interactive and Remote Desktop Users group memberships and strip local admin rights from day-to-day accounts so that a successful race yields little additional privilege (trade-off: added administrative overhead and possible disruption for power users), and restrict which accounts may log on locally to servers via the 'Allow log on locally' and 'Deny log on locally' user rights (trade-off: helpdesk and scheduled-task accounts may need explicit exceptions). Because losing the race produces memory corruption and process crashes, monitor for repeated or unexpected crashes of RDP-related processes on otherwise healthy hosts as a possible exploitation signal, and keep EDR or attack-surface-reduction policies in block mode on endpoints that cannot be patched immediately; note that disabling or blocking inbound RDP (TermService) reduces remote exposure but does not remove the local attack surface, since the flaw is reached by a locally logged-on user, and turning RDP off will break legitimate remote administration, so it should be treated only as a temporary containment measure on high-value hosts.

Affected VersionsENISA

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 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7807
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 Version 26H2 10.0.26300.0 <10.0.26300.9711
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.3231
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23470
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26434
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
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 Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9711
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5761
Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26434
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9711
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23470
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1607 fix: 10.0.14393.9612
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_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.3231
euvd windows_11_version_26h2 fix: 10.0.26300.9711
euvd windows_server_2012 fix: 6.2.9200.26434
euvd windows_server_2012_r2 fix: 6.3.9600.23470
euvd windows_server_2012_r2_server_core_installation fix: 6.3.9600.23470
euvd windows_server_2012_server_core_installation fix: 6.2.9200.26434
euvd windows_server_2016 fix: 10.0.14393.9612
euvd windows_server_2016_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.14393.9612
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 20 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 root cause is a CWE-416 use-after-free in the Remote Desktop Protocol component that ships as part of the Windows operating system, meaning the vulnerable code is reachable locally on any affected build rather than only on hosts accepting inbound RDP sessions. The assessed vector (AV:L, PR:L, UI:N, AC:H, S:U, C:H/I:H/A:H) describes an attacker who already holds valid low-privileged local credentials and must then win a non-deterministic race condition in which a heap object is freed while still referenced; a successful write into the reallocated region yields controlled memory corruption that can be leveraged for privilege elevation. The High attack complexity reflects that timing window, so exploitation is typically unreliable and may require repeated attempts, and the associated memory-corruption and denial-of-service tags indicate that losing the race more commonly crashes the affected RDP-related process than achieves elevation. Because the defect lives in Windows system binaries rather than a standalone application, remediation is delivered through the monthly cumulative updates for each Windows servicing branch, with the fixed build numbers enumerated in ENISA EUVD-2026-100225 and the linked MSRC 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 7.0 HIGH
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.0 HIGH

Local, authenticated foothold required (AV:L/PR:L); use-after-free race gives AC:H; successful escalation yields full host compromise (C:H/I:H/A:H) with scope unchanged.

3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:H/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
High
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 7.0

DescriptionCVE.org

Use after free in Windows Remote Desktop Protocol allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A high-severity local privilege escalation flaw in the Windows Remote Desktop Protocol component could allow an attacker who already holds low-privileged credentials on a Windows host to elevate to SYSTEM on that machine. Exploitation requires an existing local foothold and a high-complexity, timing-dependent trigger, so the practical exposure is concentrated in organizations with already-partially-compromised endpoints and multi-user or RDP-exposed systems, where this flaw would accelerate credential theft and lateral movement. Microsoft has released a fix, and no public exploit code or confirmed active exploitation was identified at the time of analysis.

Business Impact: Medium
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 90% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Windows OS and its RDP stack ship across virtually all enterprise environments
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
Medium
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

35
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +35
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to access memory through a pointer after that memory has been deallocated.

Memory corruption occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions or accesses memory in unintended ways, violating the integrity of the process's address space.

Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.

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