Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessAuthenticate as low-privileged local user
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DeliveryInvoke AppX/MSIX deployment operation
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ExploitRace shared resource in AppXSvc
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ExecutionWin timing window during privileged action
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ImpactElevate to higher privileges on host
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 | Exploitation requires the attacker to already be an authenticated, low-privileged local user on the target host (CVSS PR:L, AV:L) and to interact with the Windows AppX Deployment Service (AppXSvc) - the component that installs/updates packaged MSIX/AppX applications - so the concrete prerequisite is the ability to invoke or influence a package-deployment operation. The key limiting factor is the race condition itself: CVSS AC:H reflects that the attacker must win a narrow, timing-dependent synchronization window on a shared resource, which is unreliable and generally demands many repeated attempts. No user interaction is needed (UI:N) and no privileges beyond a standard local account are required, but there is no remote or network exploitation path. |
| Impact | The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.0 (High) with vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, meaning local access and existing low privileges are required, exploitation is of high attack complexity, and no user interaction is needed while impact is total (C:H/I:H/A:H). The high attack complexity reflects the inherent unreliability of winning a race-condition timing window, which typically requires repeated attempts and precise timing, so this is a meaningful but not trivially weaponizable escalation path. No EPSS score, KEV listing, or POC was provided, so current real-world exploitation pressure appears low; the primary risk is as a post-compromise privilege-escalation link (e.g., after an initial foothold via phishing or a low-privilege service). One caveat: the tags include 'Information Disclosure' while the CVSS models full C/I/A impact and a race-condition EoP - the description text and vector point to privilege elevation, so the info-disclosure tag should be verified against the MSRC advisory. This is a legitimate patch priority for multi-user, terminal-server, and endpoint fleets but ranks below network-reachable or actively-exploited flaws given the local vector and high complexity. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who already holds a low-privileged foothold on a Windows host (for example a compromised standard user account or a low-privilege service) runs a small program that repeatedly triggers an AppX/MSIX deployment operation while manipulating a shared resource. By winning the timing window in the AppX Deployment Service, the attacker causes a privileged action to operate on attacker-controlled state and elevates to higher privileges. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis, and the high attack complexity means the race must typically be attempted many times to succeed. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jul 14, 2026
Local privilege escalation in the Windows AppX Deployment Service (AppXSvc) lets an already-authenticated, low-privileged user win a race condition to elevate to higher privileges across a broad range of Windows client and server builds (Windows 10 1607 through Windows 11 26H1, and Windows Server 2012 through 2025). The flaw stems from improper synchronization of a shared resource, and successful exploitation yields full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on the host. It is reported by Microsoft with a vendor patch available; there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and it is not listed in CISA KEV.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2026-49803, delivered through the monthly cumulative update for each affected build (Patch available per vendor advisory); the specific KB and fixed build number should be taken directly from the MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-49803, since an exact fix version is not included in the provided data. Because the CVSS vector requires local low-privileged access, effective compensating controls until patching include restricting interactive and low-privileged logon on sensitive/multi-user hosts, limiting which accounts can trigger AppX/MSIX package deployments, and monitoring AppXSvc activity and privilege-escalation telemetry; note that restricting packaged-app deployment can break legitimate MSIX install/update workflows, and hardening interactive logon may disrupt shared terminal-server usage. There is no network-facing exposure to block, so firewall changes do not apply.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 32 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 AppX Deployment Service (AppXSvc) is the Windows component responsible for installing, updating, and removing packaged (MSIX/AppX) applications, and it runs with elevated system privileges to perform those deployment operations. The root cause is CWE-362 (concurrent execution using a shared resource with improper synchronization, i.e. a race condition): two or more execution flows access a shared object without adequate locking, creating a narrow timing window in which a low-privileged attacker can interfere with a privileged operation. The affected CPE set spans the Windows 10/11 servicing branches and Windows Server 2012 through 2025 (including Server Core installations), indicating the vulnerable code path is part of the long-lived, shared AppX deployment stack rather than a single-edition feature.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local access with an existing low-privileged account is required (AV:L/PR:L); the race-condition timing window makes exploitation unreliable (AC:H); successful EoP yields full local compromise (C:H/I:H/A:H).
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
DescriptionCVE.org
Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Windows AppX Deployment Service allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
Windows AppX Deployment Service contains a privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2026-49803) affecting Windows 10 through 11 and Windows Server 2012 through 2025, allowing any already-authenticated user to escalate to full system administrative access and compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Compromise of a single employee account translates directly to complete system access on affected devices, expanding the blast radius of credential theft across enterprise Windows infrastructure. Microsoft has released a patch; rapid deployment is necessary to mitigate insider threat and account-compromise escalation risks.
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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
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
Race conditions occur when multiple concurrent requests exploit the brief time gap between checking a condition and acting upon it (TOCTOU - Time of Check, Time of Use).
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