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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Authenticate as low-privileged local user
  2. Delivery
    Trigger concurrent access to Push Notifications resource
  3. Exploit
    Win race condition timing window
  4. Execution
    Execute code in elevated context
  5. Impact
    Gain SYSTEM privileges

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Concurrency control, locking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: 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 have a local, authenticated low-privileged account on the host (AV:L, PR:L) and to execute code that drives concurrent access to the shared resource in the Windows Push Notifications component, then win a timing-sensitive race window. Limiting factors: no remote vector (local access mandatory), high attack complexity (AC:H) because the race must be won and may require repeated attempts, and no user interaction of a victim is involved (UI:N) - the attacker drives it directly. Most impactful on multi-user systems and the many affected Windows Server SKUs where untrusted or semi-trusted local accounts exist; single-user, single-admin desktops present less opportunity.

Impact

Signals are consistent and point to a genuine but non-urgent local privilege-escalation issue rather than a mass-exploitation emergency. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C) reflects local-only reach requiring an already-authenticated low-privileged account and a hard-to-win race condition (AC:H), offset by total impact (C:H/I:H/A:H) and scope change - classic Windows elevation-to-SYSTEM behavior. All the exploitation-likelihood signals agree and are low: EPSS is 0.05% (17th percentile), CISA SSVC records Exploitation: none and Automatable: no, there is no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit was identified in the provided data. The one divergence is SSVC Technical Impact: total, which aligns with the high CVSS impact metrics but not with the low likelihood metrics - meaning the consequence of successful exploitation is severe even though the probability of seeing it exploited broadly is low. Net: this is a patch-on-normal-cadence item, prioritized on multi-user and server hosts where a foothold account is plausible, not a drop-everything emergency. Note the input 'Information Disclosure' tag conflicts with the description and impact vector, which describe privilege elevation - treat the tag as suspect.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A low-privileged but authenticated user already on the machine runs a tool that repeatedly manipulates the Windows Push Notifications service to trigger the race condition in a shared resource. By winning the timing window, the attacker corrupts state during concurrent access and executes code in an elevated context, escalating to SYSTEM. No public exploit code was identified at time of analysis, and the high attack complexity (AC:H) means the race may need many attempts to win.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv2 – Oct 15, 2026

Local privilege escalation in Windows Push Notifications allows an authenticated attacker with a low-privileged account to gain elevated privileges by winning a race condition in the notification component. The vulnerability affects numerous Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server versions (see affected products), and while it has a high CVSS score of 7.8, the attack complexity is high (AC:H) and requires local access (AV:L) with low privileges (PR:L), meaning the attacker must already have a foothold on the system. EPSS is low at 0.05%, no public exploit code is known, and CISA SSVC indicates no known exploitation, so this is a non-urgent patching priority.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
v1 Apr 14, 2026 - 19:13 CVSS 8.8

Local privilege escalation in Windows Push Notifications across Windows 10/11 and Server 2016-2025 allows low-privileged authenticated users to gain SYSTEM-level access via race condition exploitation. The vulnerability affects all currently supported Windows versions with confirmed vendor patches available. Attack complexity is low with no user interaction required, enabling straightforward exploitation once local access is obtained. The scope change (S:C) indicates the attacker can impact resources beyond the vulnerable component's security context. No public exploit code identified at time of analysis, though the low complexity suggests feasibility for skilled attackers.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor-released patch from Microsoft, available via Windows Update or the Microsoft Update Catalog, which updates affected systems to the fixed build versions: Windows 10 1607 to 10.0.14393.9060, Windows 10 1809 and Server 2019 to 10.0.17763.8644, Windows 10 21H2 to 10.0.19044.7184, Windows 10 22H2 to 10.0.19045.7184, Windows 11 22H3/23H2 to 10.0.22631.6936, Windows 11 24H2 and Server 2025 to 10.0.26100.32690, Windows 11 25H2 to 10.0.26200.8246, Windows 11 26H1 to 10.0.28000.1836, Windows Server 2016 to 10.0.14393.9060, Windows Server 2022 to 10.0.20348.5020, and Windows Server 2022 23H2 Edition to 10.0.25398.2274. There is no practical workaround for this local race condition; however, as a compensating control, organizations can minimize the number of local user accounts with interactive logon rights and enforce least privilege to reduce the attack surface, though this may impact operational flexibility. For detailed guidance, refer to the Microsoft advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-26167.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8644
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7184
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32690
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.8246
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6936
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32690
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8644
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9060
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8644
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9060
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9060
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.1836
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32690
Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) 10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.2274
Windows 11 version 22H3 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6936
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5020
Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7184

Affected Packages

microsoft windows_10_version_1607_10_0_14393_9060 fix: Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.14393.9060, Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems 10.0.14393.9060
microsoft windows_10_version_1809_10_0_17763_8644 fix: Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.17763.8644, Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems 10.0.17763.8644
microsoft windows_10_version_21h2_10_0_19044_7184 fix: Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.19044.7184, Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.19044.7184, Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.19044.7184
microsoft windows_10_version_22h2_10_0_19045_7184 fix: Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems 10.0.19045.7184, Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.19045.7184, Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.19045.7184
microsoft windows_11_version_23h2_10_0_22631_6936 fix: Windows 11 Version 23H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.22631.6936, Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.22631.6936
microsoft windows_11_version_24h2_10_0_26100_32690 fix: Windows 11 Version 24H2 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.26100.32690, Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.26100.32690
microsoft windows_11_version_25h2_10_0_26200_8246 fix: Windows 11 Version 25H2 for ARM systems 10.0.26200.8246, Windows 11 Version 25H2 for x64-based Systems 10.0.26200.8246
microsoft windows_11_version_26h1_10_0_28000_1836 fix: Windows 11 Version 26H1 for ARM64-based Systems 10.0.28000.1836, Windows 11 version 26H1 for x64-based Systems 10.0.28000.1836
microsoft windows_server_2016_10_0_14393_9060 fix: Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.9060, Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.9060
microsoft windows_server_2019_10_0_17763_8644 fix: Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.8644, Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.8644
microsoft windows_server_2022_10_0_20348_5020 fix: Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.5020, Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) 10.0.20348.5020
microsoft windows_server_2022_23h2_edition_10_0_25398_2274 fix: Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) 10.0.25398.2274
microsoft windows_server_2025_10_0_26100_32690 fix: Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.32690, Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.32690
euvd windows_10_version_1607 fix: 10.0.14393.9060
euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.8644
euvd windows_10_version_21h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7184
euvd windows_10_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.19045.7184
euvd windows_11_version_22h3 fix: 10.0.22631.6936
euvd windows_11_version_23h2 fix: 10.0.22631.6936
euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.32690
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.8246
euvd windows_11_version_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.1836
euvd windows_server_2016 fix: 10.0.14393.9060
euvd windows_server_2016_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.14393.9060
euvd windows_server_2019 fix: 10.0.17763.8644
euvd windows_server_2019_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.17763.8644
euvd windows_server_2022 fix: 10.0.20348.5020
euvd windows_server_2022_23h2_edition_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.25398.2274
euvd windows_server_2025 fix: 10.0.26100.32690
euvd windows_server_2025_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.26100.32690

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 30 packages in microsoft, euvd

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

Technical ContextAI · show details

The vulnerability is a race condition (CWE-362) in the Windows Push Notifications component, which manages the delivery and handling of push notifications on Windows. The flaw arises from improper synchronization when multiple threads or processes concurrently access a shared resource, potentially allowing an attacker to manipulate the state of the notification service to escalate privileges. With a scope change (S:C) in the CVSS vector, the exploited vulnerability can affect resources beyond the notification component itself, likely granting the attacker SYSTEM-level privileges. The affected products are identified by CPE strings for Windows 10 (versions 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2), Windows 11 (versions 22H3, 23H2, 24H2, 25H2, 26H1), and Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 (including 23H2 Edition), and 2025, covering both desktop and Server Core installations. The root cause is a classic TOCTOU-style race where the attacker times operations to exploit the window between check and use.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
ENISA EUVD HIGH
CIRCL (temporal) 7.7 HIGH
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Local-only EoP requiring a low-privileged account (AV:L, PR:L), AC:H because winning the race is timing-dependent and non-deterministic, S:C and C/I/A:H for escalation to SYSTEM.

3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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 NVD.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

4
Analysis Updated
Oct 15, 2026 - 05:02 vuln.today
v2 - CVSS changed
CVSS changed
Oct 14, 2026 - 23:23 NVD
8.8 (HIGH) 7.8 (HIGH)
Patch released
Apr 14, 2026 - 17:46 nvd
Patch available
CVE Published
Apr 14, 2026 - 16:57 nvd
HIGH 8.8

DescriptionNVD

Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Windows Push Notifications allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Windows Push Notifications contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2026-26167, CVSS 7.8) that could allow a low-privileged local attacker to gain elevated privileges by winning a race condition in the notification component. This affects numerous Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server versions, so most enterprise Windows estates are potentially in scope. However, exploitation requires an existing local foothold, high attack complexity, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis, so leadership should treat this as a non-urgent but necessary patching priority to prevent privilege escalation.

Business Impact: Medium
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 83% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
core Windows client and server component across all supported versions
Threat Intel
1
1 source
Vendor Action
See Below
Required. The vulnerability documented by this CVE requires customer action to resolve.
Vendor Status
Publicly Disclosed:No
Exploited:No
Latest Software Release:Exploitation Less Likely
Data Quality
7 sources
Confidence: High

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 0.1%
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

44
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +39
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: +5

Attack Technique

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

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