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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Craft malicious GDI content (image/font/metafile)
  2. Delivery
    Deliver via email or download
  3. Exploit
    User opens crafted file
  4. Execution
    Trigger heap overflow in GDI parser
  5. Impact
    Execute arbitrary code as current user

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 local delivery of attacker-controlled content that Windows GDI will parse (e.g., a crafted image, font, or metafile) and requires user interaction (CVSS UI:R) - the victim must open or view the malicious file. No authentication or prior privileges are needed (PR:N), and the attack does not cross a privilege boundary (S:U), so the attacker gains code execution only in the context of the user who opens the content. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning it cannot be triggered remotely over the network without first getting the file onto and opened on the target. Limiting factors: the required user interaction, the need to socially engineer file opening, and per-SKU patch levels all constrain realistic exploitation; the affected code is present across default Windows installations, so no non-default configuration is required.

Impact

The signals are internally consistent and point to moderate, non-urgent risk. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R, base 7.8) shows local attack vector with required user interaction but no privileges - meaning an attacker cannot reach GDI remotely and must get a victim to open crafted content. EPSS is 0.06% (18th percentile), and CISA SSVC records Exploitation: none and Automatable: no, which agree with the low-probability, interaction-gated profile; however, SSVC Technical Impact is 'total', matching the C:H/I:H/A:H code-execution outcome. There is no KEV listing and no POC identified, so despite the 'total' technical impact this is not an active-exploitation priority. No major conflicts exist in the data: the local vector, required user interaction, and low EPSS all corroborate a real-but-not-widespread threat suitable for standard monthly patching.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker crafts a malicious image, font, or document that triggers the GDI heap overflow when rendered, then delivers it via email, a web download, or a shared file. When the targeted user opens the file, GDI processes the malformed data, overflows the heap, and executes attacker code in the user's security context. No public exploit code has been identified, so this would currently require an attacker to develop a working exploit.

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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AnalysisAIv1 – Jul 23, 2026

Local code execution in the Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI) component affects a broad range of Windows client and server releases from Windows Server 2012 through Windows 11 25H2/26H1 and Server 2025. An attacker who convinces a user to open a maliciously crafted file or content triggers a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) in GDI, running arbitrary code in the victim's context with full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis, EPSS is very low (0.06%), and CISA SSVC records no known exploitation, so this is a patch-on-cycle item rather than an emergency.

RemediationAI

Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2026-35421 via the MSRC update guide (https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-35421); patch is available from the vendor. Update each affected SKU to at or above its fixed build - for example Windows 11 24H2/25H2 to 10.0.26100.8457, Windows Server 2025 to 10.0.26100.32860, Windows 10 22H2 to 10.0.19045.7291, Server 2019/Windows 10 1809 to 10.0.17763.8755, and Server 2012 to 6.2.9200.26079 - using standard Windows Update or WSUS/SCCM deployment. Because exploitation requires a user to open crafted content, effective compensating controls until patching completes are user-awareness guidance to avoid opening untrusted documents, images, or fonts, and application/attachment filtering at the mail and web gateway to strip risky graphics/metafile content; note these controls reduce but do not eliminate exposure and may block legitimate files, so they are stopgaps rather than substitutes for the update.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7291
Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7291
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8755
Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23181
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8755
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26079
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5139
Windows 11 version 22H3 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7079
Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23181
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.2113
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32860
Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26079
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9140
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.8457
Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) 10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.2330
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.8457
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32860
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9140
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7079
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8755
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9140

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1607 fix: 10.0.14393.9140
euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.8755
euvd windows_10_version_21h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7291
euvd windows_10_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.19045.7291
euvd windows_11_version_22h3 fix: 10.0.22631.7079
euvd windows_11_version_23h2 fix: 10.0.22631.7079
euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.8457
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.8457
euvd windows_11_version_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.2113
euvd windows_server_2012 fix: 6.2.9200.26079
euvd windows_server_2012_r2 fix: 6.3.9600.23181
euvd windows_server_2012_r2_server_core_installation fix: 6.3.9600.23181
euvd windows_server_2012_server_core_installation fix: 6.2.9200.26079
euvd windows_server_2016 fix: 10.0.14393.9140
euvd windows_server_2016_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.14393.9140
euvd windows_server_2019 fix: 10.0.17763.8755
euvd windows_server_2019_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.17763.8755
euvd windows_server_2022 fix: 10.0.20348.5139
euvd windows_server_2022_23h2_edition_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.25398.2330
euvd windows_server_2025 fix: 10.0.26100.32860
euvd windows_server_2025_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.26100.32860

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 21 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 Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI/GDI+) is a core OS subsystem responsible for rendering 2D graphics, fonts, and images for both applications and the kernel-adjacent graphics stack. CWE-122 (heap-based buffer overflow) indicates that GDI allocates a heap buffer whose bounds are exceeded - typically when parsing attacker-controlled dimensions, metadata, or image/font data - allowing adjacent heap memory and control structures to be corrupted. Because GDI parsing is reachable from many user-facing surfaces (documents, images, EMF/WMF metafiles, fonts), memory-safety flaws here are historically a common local code-execution vector. The CPE set confirms the affected code ships across Windows 10 (1607-22H2), Windows 11 (22H3-26H1), and Windows Server 2012 through 2025, including Server Core installations.

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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:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Local vector with no privileges but mandatory user interaction to open crafted content; successful overflow yields full code execution, so C/I/A all High.

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

Primary rating from NVD.

CVSS VectorNVD

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

DescriptionCVE.org

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows GDI allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A local code execution flaw in Windows GDI (CVSS 7.8) affects all Windows systems from Server 2012 through Server 2025, including Windows 11 (25H2/26H1), enabling complete compromise when users open maliciously crafted files. No public exploit identified at time of analysis and exploitation probability is negligible (0.06% EPSS), positioning this as a routine patching priority rather than emergency response. Windows-deployed organizations should treat this as a mandatory update to eliminate user-interaction attack vectors across their installed base.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 82% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Windows GDI ships in every supported Windows client and server release
Threat Intel
1
1 sources
Vendor Status
Publicly Disclosed:No
Exploited:No
Latest Software Release:Exploitation Unlikely
Data Quality
6 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
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

39
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +39
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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