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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privilege network access to DNS service
  2. Delivery
    Send crafted DNS request to server
  3. Exploit
    Trigger heap buffer over-read in parser
  4. Execution
    Receive out-of-bounds heap memory
  5. Impact
    Disclose sensitive information over network

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

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

Exploitation Conditions

Requires the Windows DNS Server role to be installed and running, and the attacker must be an authorized (authenticated, low-privilege) actor with network reachability to the DNS service, per CVSS PR:L and the 'authorized attacker' wording. Exploitation does NOT require user interaction (UI:N) or high privileges, and complexity is low (AC:L), but the privilege requirement and confidentiality-only impact (no integrity or availability effect) limit realistic damage to information disclosure of server memory. Affected deployments are unpatched Windows Server 2012/2012 R2/2016/2019/2022/2025 and Windows 10/11 builds below the fixed versions listed in EUVD-2026-100419; systems not running the DNS Server role are not exposed.

Impact

CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5 (Medium) with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - network-reachable, low attack complexity, but requiring low-level privileges (PR:L, an 'authorized attacker' per the description) and yielding confidentiality impact only (C:H, I:N, A:N). This is an information-disclosure heap-overflow (CWE-122) in the Windows DNS Server role, not a remote-code-execution or denial-of-service issue, which caps its severity despite the memory-corruption root cause. No EPSS score, SSVC decision, KEV listing, or POC was provided in the input, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and no evidence of active exploitation. A vendor patch is available from Microsoft (MSRC advisory), which is the strongest confirmed signal here. On balance this is a real-but-moderate priority: the authentication requirement and confidentiality-only impact argue against emergency treatment, but the network vector, low complexity, and the broad, security-sensitive DNS Server attack surface across the full supported Windows Server fleet justify patching on a normal-to-expedited cycle. Note the tension between the generic MSRC description ('authorized attacker') and the lack of any exploitation telemetry - treat exploitability as inferred from the CVSS vector, not confirmed.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already holds low-privilege authenticated access reachable to the DNS service sends a crafted query or request that triggers a heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows DNS Server, causing it to read and return out-of-bounds heap memory. Because impact is confidentiality-only (C:H/I:N/A:N), the attacker leverages this to disclose sensitive process memory contents over the network rather than to execute code or crash the service. No public proof-of-concept was identified at time of analysis, and the low attack complexity (AC:L) means a working exploit, if developed, would be reliable.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 1.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows DNS Server allows an authenticated, low-privilege attacker with network access to disclose sensitive information from server memory. The vulnerability affects numerous Windows Server and Windows 10/11 builds that have the DNS Server role installed, with no public exploit identified at time of analysis. Although rated CVSS 6.5 (Medium) with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, the confidentiality-only impact and requirement for authentication limit the realistic threat to information leakage rather than code execution or denial of service.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor-released patches by installing the latest cumulative updates for the affected Windows versions, which raise the DNS Server build to the fixed versions specified in the advisory (e.g., 10.0.26100.33650 for Windows Server 2025, 10.0.28000.3231 for Windows 11 26H1, 6.3.9600.23470 for Windows Server 2012 R2, and 10.0.19044.7807 for Windows 10 22H2). Microsoft's advisory is at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97817. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to the DNS service (UDP/TCP port 53) to trusted hosts only, or temporarily disable the DNS Server role if it is not essential; both measures carry trade-offs such as breaking name resolution for legitimate clients. No public exploit has been identified, reducing the urgency of compensating controls.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.3231
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9711
Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23470
Windows 11 Version 26H2 10.0.26300.0 <10.0.26300.9711
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26434
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7652
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
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5761
Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23470
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26434
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9711
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
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

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

This is a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) in the Windows DNS Server service. The DNS Server role processes network queries, and insufficient bounds checking on incoming DNS packet data can cause a heap buffer overflow that allows an authorized attacker to read adjacent heap memory, resulting in information disclosure. Because the assessed impact is confidentiality-only (C:H) with no integrity or availability effect, exploitation likely leads to memory leakage rather than control-flow hijack or remote code execution. Affected products include Windows Server 2012 through 2025 (including Server Core installations) and Windows 10/11 versions listed in EUVD-2026-100419; systems without the DNS Server role installed are not exposed. The vulnerability is referenced in Microsoft's advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97817.

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 6.5 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
vuln.today AI 6.5 MEDIUM

Network-reachable DNS service with low complexity and no user interaction; PR:L reflects the required authorized attacker, and impact is confidentiality-only information disclosure (I:N/A:N).

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

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

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

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Oct 13, 2026 - 20:20 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 13, 2026 - 19:22 cve.org
MEDIUM 6.5

DescriptionCVE.org

Heap-based buffer overflow in DNS Server allows an authorized attacker to disclose information over a network.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
1.0%
Top 40% exploitable
Prevalence
High
DNS Server role on widely-deployed Windows Server across all supported enterprise versions
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 1.0%
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
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

33
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +32
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.

A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.

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