Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessIdentify Windows host exposing PerfMon RPC interface
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DeliveryCraft malformed performance data request
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ExploitTrigger integer underflow in length calculation
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ExecutionCorrupt memory via oversized wrapped value
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PersistHijack execution flow in service context
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ImpactExecute arbitrary code on target
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Integer underflow checks
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires network reachability to a Windows host exposing the Performance Monitor remote interface (typically via RPC over ports 135/445 and dynamic RPC ports) and no authentication to the target (PR:N), with no user interaction needed. Limiting factors per CVSS AC:H include the need to satisfy race conditions, heap or address-space layout state, or specific protocol sequencing to reliably trigger the integer underflow and convert memory corruption into code execution - meaning opportunistic mass exploitation is unlikely, consistent with SSVC Automatable=no. In practice, hosts that do not expose remote performance counter services on the network (e.g., workstations behind host firewalls blocking RPC) are not reachably exploitable, narrowing the realistic attack surface to servers and management hosts permitting remote performance/management traffic. |
| Impact | The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 reflects network reach (AV:N), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and full CIA impact (C:H/I:H/A:H), but is tempered by high attack complexity (AC:H), which indicates the attacker must overcome conditions beyond their control such as race windows, memory layout, or specific protocol state to achieve reliable exploitation. CISA's SSVC framework rates Exploitation as 'none' and Automatable as 'no,' which aligns with no public exploit identified at time of analysis - meaning real-world risk today is materially lower than the 8.1 score suggests, though Technical Impact is rated 'total.' EPSS data was not provided in the input, so the empirical exploitation probability cannot be quantified. The combination of high complexity, absence of observed exploitation, and a vendor-released patch suggests this should be prioritized for routine monthly patching rather than emergency remediation, though internet-exposed Windows hosts running services that interface with PerfMon should be patched promptly given the unauthenticated network vector. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker on an adjacent network segment, or reaching an internet-exposed Windows host that accepts remote performance monitoring traffic, sends a specially crafted request with a malformed length or size field that triggers the integer underflow in PerfMon's parsing routine. The wrap-around produces an oversized buffer calculation that the attacker uses to corrupt adjacent memory and redirect execution, ultimately running code in the security context of the vulnerable service. High attack complexity means the attacker likely needs multiple attempts and detailed knowledge of target memory layout, but no public exploit identified at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jun 09, 2026
Remote code execution in Windows Performance Monitor enables unauthenticated network attackers to execute arbitrary code by triggering an integer underflow condition in the component's data handling logic. The flaw carries a CVSS score of 8.1 with high attack complexity, and while no public exploit identified at time of analysis, the SSVC assessment rates technical impact as total. Microsoft has released a patch via MSRC, and the issue is also tracked in VulDB entry 369628.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft-issued security update for CVE-2026-42981 referenced in the MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42981 - Patch available per vendor advisory, with exact KB/build numbers to be obtained directly from MSRC per Windows SKU. As a compensating control until patching is complete, restrict inbound network access to the Performance Monitor and related remote performance counter services (RPC endpoints, WMI, and remote registry) by blocking TCP ports 135 and 445 and the dynamic RPC range at perimeter and host-based firewalls for hosts that do not require remote performance monitoring; the trade-off is that legitimate remote monitoring tooling, centralized SCOM/PerfMon collection, and remote administration via MMC snap-ins will break, so this should be scoped to externally exposed or DMZ systems. Where remote monitoring is required, restrict the source IPs allowed to reach those RPC endpoints to a known management subnet via Windows Firewall scoping rules.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 13 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
Windows Performance Monitor (PerfMon) is a built-in Windows administrative tool used for collecting and analyzing system performance counters, event traces, and configuration data from local and remote systems. The root cause is CWE-191 (Integer Underflow / Wrap or Wraparound), which occurs when an arithmetic operation produces a value below the minimum representable integer, wrapping to a very large unsigned value. In this context, the underflow likely occurs during the parsing of network-delivered performance counter or configuration data, where a length or size field is decremented past zero, leading to out-of-bounds memory operations exploitable for code execution. The 'Authentication Bypass' tag in the intelligence feed combined with PR:N in the CVSS vector suggests the vulnerable code path is reachable without prior authentication to the host.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/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 Performance Monitor allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
Executive ViewAI
Windows Performance Monitor is vulnerable to remote code execution (CVE-2026-42981, CVSS 8.1) exploitable by unauthenticated network attackers, affecting Windows systems across the organization. No public exploit identified at time of analysis. Microsoft has released a security patch, enabling IT teams to remediate this vulnerability through standard patching procedures.
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
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
Integer overflow occurs when an arithmetic operation produces a result that exceeds the maximum value a given integer type can store.
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EUVD-2026-35735
GHSA-4vf7-qxxr-9pxc
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB