Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain authorized low-privilege access
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DeliverySubmit crafted input to SQL Server
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ExploitTrigger heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122)
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ExecutionCorrupt heap and hijack execution
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ImpactElevate privileges locally
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 | Exploitation requires the attacker to already possess an authorized, low-privileged account with local access to the SQL Server host or instance (AV:L, PR:L) - this is not remotely exploitable by an unauthenticated attacker. The attacker must send specially crafted input that reaches the vulnerable heap-allocation code path and reliably control heap layout to achieve code execution; the High attack complexity (AC:H) reflects this non-deterministic heap-grooming requirement, which meaningfully limits reliable exploitation. No end-user interaction is needed (UI:N). Affected deployments are specific build ranges of SQL Server 2019, 2022, and 2025 (per EUVD); instances already patched to the listed fixed builds (e.g., 15.0.4500.2, 16.0.4305.5, 17.0.5015.4) are not exploitable. The primary limiting factor is the prerequisite of local authenticated access, making shared/multi-tenant database hosts the realistic risk surface. |
| Impact | This is a moderate-priority issue rather than an emergency. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N) is internally consistent with the description's 'authorized attacker elevates privileges locally': it requires local access, existing low-level authentication (PR:L), and high attack complexity (AC:H) - the latter being typical of heap-based buffer overflow exploitation, which depends on heap grooming and layout control. The high-impact triad (C:H/I:H/A:H) yields the 7.0 (High) score, but the real-world risk is tempered by the local vector and the need for pre-existing authorized access to the SQL Server host/instance. No EPSS score is provided, no CISA KEV listing is present, and no public exploit code is referenced, so there is no evidence of active or imminent widespread exploitation. The signals are not conflicting - they consistently describe a post-authentication local privilege-escalation primitive that an attacker would chain after an initial foothold, not an internet-facing remote code execution flaw. Prioritize patching on multi-tenant or shared database servers where lower-privileged principals coexist with sensitive instances, but this does not warrant the same urgency as an unauthenticated network-exploitable bug. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who already holds a low-privileged authenticated account on a SQL Server host sends crafted input that overflows a heap buffer within the SQL Server process, corrupting heap metadata or adjacent objects to hijack execution and elevate to the SQL Server service (or higher) privilege level. Because AC is High, the attacker must reliably control heap layout, making exploitation non-trivial. No public proof-of-concept is identified at time of analysis, so weaponization effort remains on the attacker. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026
Privilege elevation on Microsoft SQL Server 2019, 2022, and 2025 instances can be achieved by an authenticated, low-privileged user who already has local access to the host or instance and can drive crafted input into a vulnerable heap-allocation code path. Successful exploitation corrupts heap memory and, because the assessed vector is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (7.0), yields high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact within the database engine's security context; the High attack complexity reflects the non-deterministic heap-grooming required for reliable code execution, and no end-user interaction is needed. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the issue is not in CISA KEV; a vendor patch is available per the Microsoft advisory, and unaffected instances are those already running the corrected cumulative-update or GDR builds.
RemediationAI
Patch available per vendor advisory. Apply the Microsoft SQL Server update from the MSRC Security Update Guide entry for CVE-2026-85919 (https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-85919), selecting the package that matches the instance's servicing branch and reaching at least the corrected builds, for example 15.0.4500.2 for SQL Server 2019 CU32, 15.0.2200.2 for SQL Server 2019 GDR, 16.0.4305.5 for SQL Server 2022 CU27, 16.0.1210.3 for SQL Server 2022 GDR, 17.0.5015.4 for SQL Server 2025 CU9, and 17.0.1145.4 for SQL Server 2025 GDR; restarting the SQL Server service is required and should be scheduled in a maintenance window. Where immediate patching is not possible, treat the requirement as resource isolation rather than perimeter filtering, since the vector is local and authenticated: audit and minimize SQL Server logins and Windows accounts holding local rights on database hosts, remove CONNECT/EXECUTE privileges from principals that do not need them, and place untrusted or multi-tenant workloads on dedicated instances or hardened containers so a compromised low-privileged account cannot reach the vulnerable code path - trade-offs are reduced operational flexibility and higher administrative overhead. Because the flaw is exploitable only by an already-authorized local user, network firewalls, disabling TCP/IP, or blocking specific ports provide little benefit; the meaningful compensating control is the reduction of local authenticated attack surface. Monitor engine errors and crashes that could indicate heap corruption while unpatched.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 6 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 heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122), meaning a heap-allocated buffer is written past its boundary, corrupting adjacent heap metadata or objects in the SQL Server engine process. Unlike stack overflows, the attacker must shape ('groom') the heap so the overflow lands on a useful target, which is why the independent assessment scores AC:H rather than AC:L and why exploitation is not deterministic. The prerequisite is local authenticated access at low privilege (AV:L, PR:L), so this is not a remote unauthenticated attack surface; the attacker must be positioned as an authorized database login on the host/instance and supply input that reaches the flawed allocation path. The affected code ships across multiple parallel servicing branches - cumulative update (CU) trains and GDR (security-only) baselines for SQL Server 2019, 2022, and 2025 on x64 - which is why the same defect appears as several distinct build-range entries; each branch must be patched with its corresponding fix rather than a single universal build.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local authorized attacker (AV:L, PR:L) exploiting a heap overflow requiring reliable heap-layout control (AC:H), yielding full code-execution impact (C/I/A:H) within one scope.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Heap-based buffer overflow in SQL Server allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
Microsoft SQL Server 2019, 2022, and 2025 are affected by a high-severity privilege elevation vulnerability that allows an authenticated local user with low privileges to gain full control over the database engine, potentially exposing or altering sensitive business data. Because exploitation requires existing local access and high attack complexity, the primary risk is to organizations with weak internal access controls or multiple users on database hosts; leadership should prioritize patching to prevent insider escalation or lateral movement from compromised accounts.
Apply vendor patch.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
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.
EUVD-2026-100615
GHSA-qh85-mpr5-hr22
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB