Skip to main content

Microsoft PC Manager EUVDEUVD-2026-35528

| CVE-2026-49161 HIGH
Improper Access Control (CWE-284)
2026-06-09 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-25vj-c5mm-vwxg
7.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: microsoft
Temporal: 6.8
View

Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privileged local account
  2. Delivery
    Identify PC Manager component on host
  3. Exploit
    Invoke vulnerable access-controlled interface
  4. Execution
    Bypass security feature check
  5. Persist
    Gain elevated control of system
  6. Impact
    Disable protections or persist

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Access control enforcement
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Defense Evasion

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 have authenticated, low-privileged local access to a Windows endpoint with Microsoft PC Manager installed, per the AV:L/PR:L CVSS metrics. No user interaction is needed (UI:N) and attack complexity is low (AC:L), but the attacker must be able to execute code in the context of an existing local account and the vulnerable PC Manager component must be present and running on the host. Hosts without PC Manager installed, and hosts where untrusted users cannot obtain any local execution, are not exposed by this issue.

Impact

Multiple signals point to a moderate, not urgent, real-world risk. The CVSS vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N indicates the attacker must already have local code execution as a low-privileged user, which raises the bar versus remote-network bugs but is realistic in post-compromise or multi-user scenarios. The CIA impact triplet of H/H/H drives the 7.8 base score, consistent with a security-feature bypass that yields broader control of the host. No EPSS score, KEV listing, or POC indicator was provided in the intelligence set, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and no evidence of active exploitation. The only reference is Microsoft's MSRC advisory page; no third-party write-up, exploit, or detection guidance is available, so defenders should treat this as patch-on-cycle for endpoints running PC Manager rather than emergency response, while noting that authenticated-local bypasses in maintenance utilities are attractive to malware seeking persistence or AV/EDR-adjacent disablement.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who has gained an initial foothold as a standard user - for example, via a phishing payload or a stolen non-admin credential - runs a local tool that invokes the vulnerable Microsoft PC Manager interface to bypass a security feature and gain elevated control of the host. With high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, the attacker can then disable protections, alter system state, or stage further tools for persistence. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, so this scenario reflects expected tradecraft rather than an observed campaign.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – Jun 09, 2026

Local privilege escalation in Microsoft PC Manager allows an authenticated low-privileged attacker to bypass a security feature on the affected system, leading to high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The flaw stems from improper access control (CWE-284) and currently has no public exploit identified at time of analysis. The CVSS 7.8 score reflects local attack vector with low complexity but requires the attacker to already have valid credentials on the target host.

RemediationAI

Apply the update referenced in Microsoft's advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-49161; the available intelligence indicates a patch available per vendor advisory but does not list an exact fixed version, so administrators should consult MSRC for the current shipping build and ensure PC Manager auto-update is enabled or push the updated installer via management tooling. Where patching is not immediately feasible, compensating controls include uninstalling Microsoft PC Manager from endpoints that do not require it (eliminates the attack surface but removes the cleanup/optimization functionality users may rely on), restricting interactive logon to the affected hosts so untrusted local accounts cannot reach the vulnerable interface (reduces exposure but does not protect against malware already running as a standard user), and monitoring EDR for unexpected privilege transitions or invocations of PC Manager components from non-interactive contexts (detection only, not prevention).

Affected VersionsENISA

Microsoft PC Manager 1.0.0 <3.21.6.0

Affected Packages

microsoft pc_manager_3_21_6_0 fix: Microsoft PC Manager 3.21.6.0
euvd microsoft_pc_manager fix: 3.21.6.0

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 2 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

Microsoft PC Manager is a system optimization and maintenance utility for Windows that bundles cleanup, security scanning, and performance tools - typically running with elevated privileges to perform system-level changes. The underlying weakness is CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), meaning the product fails to properly enforce authorization checks on a security-relevant operation or resource. In practice this class of bug usually involves a privileged service, IPC endpoint, or protected configuration surface that does not adequately validate the caller's rights, allowing a lower-privileged caller to invoke functionality intended for higher trust levels. The advisory does not enumerate the exact component or interface, so the specific access control boundary that fails (file ACL, named pipe, COM interface, registry key, or scheduled task) is not disclosed in the available data.

Know when Pc Manager gets its next vulnerability

  • 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 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CIRCL (temporal) 6.8 MEDIUM

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

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

DescriptionCVE.org

Improper access control in Microsoft PC Manager allows an authorized attacker to bypass a security feature locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

CVE-2026-49161 in Microsoft PC Manager enables authenticated users to escalate privileges and compromise system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Organizations running this software are exposed to privilege escalation risks from any user account on the system. Immediate protective measures are required to reduce endpoint compromise risk given the absence of vendor patches.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Implement: (1) Restrict user account privileges and disable unnecessary functionality in Microsoft PC Manager; (2) Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor for privilege escalation attempts; (3) Enable security event logging and alerts on privilege elevation events; (4) Evaluate alternative system management tools; (5) Isolate affected systems from critical network infrastructure until patch becomes available.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.0%
Top 87% exploitable
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 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 0.0%
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

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

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