Skip to main content

Windows Win32k EUVDEUVD-2026-100362

| CVE-2026-102208 HIGH
Use After Free (CWE-416)
2026-10-13 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-9553-388w-pff3
7.0
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: microsoft
View

Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Gain low-privileged local code execution
  2. Delivery
    Invoke vulnerable Win32k path
  3. Exploit
    Trigger use-after-free and win race
  4. Execution
    Reclaim freed object with controlled data
  5. Impact
    Corrupt kernel memory for SYSTEM privileges

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

Requires the attacker to already possess local, authenticated low-privileged access (PR:L) to the target Windows host and the ability to execute code that reaches the vulnerable Win32k kernel path. The high attack complexity (AC:H) reflects a use-after-free that depends on winning a race condition or achieving a specific memory-reclamation state, making exploitation timing-sensitive and not guaranteed on each attempt. There is no remote vector (AV:L) and no user interaction is needed (UI:N); the key limiting factors are the prerequisite local foothold and the non-deterministic race, which together confine this to post-compromise privilege escalation rather than initial access.

Impact

This is a locally-exploitable use-after-free (CWE-416) in the Windows Win32k kernel subsystem leading to privilege escalation. The provided CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, base 7.0 HIGH) indicates an attacker must already have local, low-privileged code execution and must win a race or meet specific timing/memory-state conditions (AC:H), which materially lowers reliability and real-world urgency compared to a network-reachable flaw. No EPSS score, KEV listing, or POC indicator was supplied, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and no evidence of active exploitation. The realistic signal here is a classic second-stage local EoP primitive: not an initial-access risk, but valuable to malware and post-exploitation chains on an already-compromised host. The AC:H condition and absence of exploitation signals suggest this is a genuine but not emergency priority - patch in routine cadence unless you have evidence of local-attacker presence. Note the input Tags include 'Denial Of Service', which conflicts with the description's privilege-escalation outcome; the A:H impact could support a DoS side effect, but the primary impact per Microsoft's description is EoP - verify intended impact with the MSRC advisory.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already has a foothold as a standard/low-privileged user on a Windows system runs a crafted program that triggers the use-after-free in the Win32k kernel subsystem, winning the required race condition to reclaim the freed object with attacker-controlled data and corrupt kernel memory. Successful exploitation yields SYSTEM-level privileges, enabling full host compromise. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, and the high attack complexity (AC:H) makes reliable exploitation non-trivial.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026

Privilege escalation in the Windows Win32k kernel subsystem lets an authenticated local attacker who already holds a low-privileged foothold (CVSS PR:L, AV:L) corrupt kernel memory via a use-after-free (CWE-416) and elevate to SYSTEM-level code execution with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. Because the vulnerability depends on a timing-sensitive race or a specific memory-reclamation state, the attack complexity is rated high (AC:H) and success is non-deterministic, confining this to post-compromise escalation rather than initial access; no user interaction is required (UI:N). No public exploit code or confirmed active exploitation was identified at time of analysis, and the CVSS base score of 7.0 reflects the local-only vector tempered by the unreliable race condition.

RemediationAI

Apply the Microsoft security update published for CVE-2026-102208 through the MSRC update guide at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-102208; the supplied data does not include an exact KB number or fixed build, so the precise patched version must be taken from that advisory, and patch status should be treated as vendor-advisory-driven rather than independently confirmed here. Until patching is complete, note that the prerequisite is already-present local authenticated access, so compensating controls should focus on shrinking the attacker's foothold and complicating kernel heap grooming: restrict interactive and RDP logon to trusted administrators and service accounts (trade-off: reduced operational flexibility for shared workstations), strip unnecessary local administrator rights and debug privileges from standard users, and block or tightly audit non-Microsoft drivers and unsigned kernel code that could serve as a staging ground. Enabling Windows Defender Exploit Guard protections such as Control Flow Guard and Arbitrary Code Guard, along with keeping the software inventory free of unnecessary privileged local agents, raises the bar on converting the use-after-free into reliable kernel execution, at the cost of possible compatibility regressions in legacy or line-of-business applications. Because exploitation is non-deterministic and depends on winning a race, pairing these controls with monitoring for repeated local crash or corruption events in win32k-related processes (an indicator of failed exploitation attempts) provides useful detection coverage, though it is not a substitute for the vendor patch.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
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 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19044.7807
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 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23470
Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26434
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 Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5761
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7807
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612

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_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

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 14 packages in euvd

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

Technical ContextAI · show details

Win32k is the Windows kernel-mode subsystem (win32k.sys) that implements the Win32 graphical stack - window management, USER objects such as windows and menus, and GDI objects such as brushes, bitmaps, and device contexts. This flaw falls under CWE-416 (Use After Free): a kernel object is released while a stale pointer or handle to it remains reachable, and an attacker who can drive the vulnerable Win32k call path attempts to win a race so that the freed allocation is reused or reallocated before the dangling reference is dereferenced. Success yields kernel-context memory corruption that the attacker can shape into kernel-mode code execution, which from a low-privileged process translates directly into privilege escalation. The assessed vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H confirms the local, authenticated prerequisite (PR:L), the absence of a remote vector, and the high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability; the high attack complexity is the direct consequence of having to reliably hit the use-after-free window rather than a one-shot deterministic flaw. The provided input contains no CPE identifiers or enumerated affected builds, so the exact product and version matrix must be confirmed against the reference advisory.

Know when the next one hits your stack

  • Watch products and get an email when something new is published
  • Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

No credit card · 7-day full trial

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-only kernel EoP requiring an existing low-privileged account (AV:L, PR:L) and a race-dependent UAF (AC:H); SYSTEM-level compromise yields full C/I/A impact.

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 - 19:17 nvd
HIGH 7.0

DescriptionCVE.org

Use after free in Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A privilege-escalation flaw in the Windows Win32k kernel subsystem affects supported Windows endpoints and servers, allowing an attacker who already has a low-privileged foothold on a machine to escalate to SYSTEM-level control. Because exploitation requires existing local access and a timing-dependent memory race, the practical risk is one of post-compromise escalation-turning a minor breach (such as commodity malware or a compromised standard user account) into full control of the host, enabling data theft, tampering, and lateral movement toward higher-value systems. Leadership should care because this weakens the containment value of least-privilege defenses on Windows fleets where no vendor fix is yet available.

Business Impact: Medium
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis; exploitation is confirmed to require authenticated local access (CVSS PR:L, AV:L), so interim mitigations focus on denying attackers that foothold and detecting escalation. Enforce least privilege and remove standing local administrator rights, restrict local logon and interactive access on sensitive systems, enable Credential Guard/LSA protection, apply application allowlisting to prevent execution of untrusted binaries, maintain up-to-date EDR with tamper protection and alerting on kernel memory corruption, token theft, and unexpected SYSTEM process creation, segment networks to limit lateral movement, and hunt for indicators of prior low-privilege compromise since the flaw only enables escalation, not initial access. No public exploit identified at time of analysis.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 85% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Win32k is a core component present in essentially all Windows installations
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 0.3%
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.

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy