Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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ReconObtain low-privileged local access
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DeliveryInvoke vulnerable kernel syscall/IOCTL
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ExploitTrigger integer underflow wraparound
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InstallCorrupt kernel memory structures
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C2Overwrite process token to SYSTEM
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ExecuteDisable security tooling and persist
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ImpactLateral movement across domain
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Integer overflow checks
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 | The attacker must already possess valid low-privilege credentials and the ability to execute code locally on the target Windows host (CVSS AV:L/PR:L); no user interaction by a separate victim is required (UI:N) and attack complexity is low (AC:L). Exploitation is limited to scenarios where the attacker can invoke the vulnerable kernel code path directly, which generally means logged-on interactive sessions, Remote Desktop sessions, or code execution achieved through a prior bug or malicious binary - purely remote network-only attackers cannot trigger this issue. No special non-default Windows configuration is called out in the description, so default installations of affected Windows builds running the NT OS Kernel are in scope. |
| Impact | Signals are consistent and point to a credible but not emergency-grade risk. The CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N) confirms local attack vector with low complexity and only low privileges required - a realistic precondition on multi-user systems, terminal servers, or any host already touched by an initial-access payload. C:H/I:H/A:H reflects full kernel compromise. There is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and the CVE is not listed in CISA KEV, so this is not yet an active-exploitation emergency. However, Windows kernel EoP bugs are a historically reliable target for commodity malware and ransomware operators once details land, and the Microsoft-internal report by secure@microsoft.com suggests responsible disclosure rather than third-party discovery in the wild. EPSS and SSVC values were not provided in the input, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be independently quantified. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has already obtained a low-privileged foothold on a Windows host - for example via a phishing payload, stolen standard-user credentials, or a compromised RDP session - runs a local tool that triggers the integer underflow in a kernel syscall or IOCTL handler. The wraparound corrupts kernel memory, allowing the attacker to overwrite a token or function pointer and elevate to SYSTEM, after which they disable EDR, dump LSASS, and pivot. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis, but kernel integer-bug exploitation is well-documented and proof-of-concept work historically appears within weeks of patch release. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jun 09, 2026
Local privilege escalation in the Windows NT OS Kernel allows an authenticated low-privileged user to elevate to higher privileges through an integer underflow condition. The flaw carries a CVSS 7.8 (High) rating with no public exploit identified at time of analysis, but Microsoft has issued a patch via MSRC. Defenders should treat this as a standard Patch-Tuesday-class kernel EoP that becomes a critical post-compromise pivot once initial access is achieved.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft-released patch as published in the MSRC update guide (https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42916) by deploying the relevant cumulative update for each affected Windows client and server build through Windows Update, WSUS, or your standard patch management pipeline; exact KB identifiers are listed per-SKU in the MSRC entry. Because the vulnerability lives in the OS kernel itself, there is no feature toggle or configuration workaround - kernel patching is the only durable fix. As compensating controls until patching completes, restrict interactive and Remote Desktop logon rights on sensitive hosts to trusted administrators (reducing the pool of accounts that can satisfy the PR:L precondition, at the cost of reduced operational flexibility), enforce application allowlisting (e.g., WDAC or AppLocker) to limit unsigned binaries that would stage the exploit (cost: tuning effort and potential breakage of line-of-business apps), and prioritize endpoint detection coverage for anomalous token manipulation and kernel-mode driver loads. Refer to the vuldb tracking entry at https://vuldb.com/vuln/369616 for additional cross-referenced metadata.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 33 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 resides in the core Windows NT OS Kernel, the privileged ring-0 component underpinning all supported Windows client and server SKUs. The root cause is CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound) - specifically an integer underflow where an arithmetic operation produces a value below the representable minimum, wrapping around to a large unsigned value. In kernel code paths, such wraparound typically corrupts size calculations used in buffer allocation, length validation, or pointer arithmetic, enabling subsequent out-of-bounds writes or undersized buffer allocations that an attacker can leverage for memory corruption and ultimately arbitrary kernel-mode code execution.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
DescriptionCVE.org
Integer underflow (wrap or wraparound) in Windows NT OS Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
A kernel-level privilege escalation in Windows (CVE-2026-42916, CVSS 7.8) enables attackers who have gained initial system access to escalate to higher privilege levels, effectively converting any compromised user account into an administrator. This vulnerability significantly increases the impact of breaches across your Windows infrastructure, as it provides a guaranteed privilege escalation pathway post-compromise. Immediate patching of Microsoft's fix is critical to reduce your attack surface for lateral movement and persistent access.
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
Integer overflow occurs when an arithmetic operation produces a result that exceeds the maximum value a given integer type can store.
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
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EUVD-2026-35600
GHSA-5c99-j5fv-r62h
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB