Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain local low-priv foothold
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DeliveryRun crafted exploit binary
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ExploitTrigger kernel out-of-bounds read
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ExecutionLeak kernel memory (defeat KASLR)
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PersistEscalate to SYSTEM privileges
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ImpactPersist or move laterally
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Bounds checking, read limits
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Collection 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 local, authenticated access to the target host with at least low-privilege rights (CVSS PR:L, AV:L), and to run code locally that invokes the vulnerable kernel code path - there is no remote or network-triggerable path and no user-interaction/social-engineering step needed (UI:N). What limits exploitation: the attacker must first obtain a valid local account or code-execution foothold on the machine, so this is a second-stage escalation rather than an initial-access vector; risk is concentrated on multi-user, RDP/terminal, and jump-host systems where untrusted users hold local accounts. No special non-default feature or configuration is called out in the description - any unpatched build in the affected Windows 10/11 and Server 2016-2025 range is vulnerable once local access is achieved. |
| Impact | The signals are internally consistent and point to a real-but-not-emergency escalation bug. The CVSS 3.1 vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H confirms local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, and no user interaction, with high impact to all three pillars - the classic profile of a reliable local EoP. Corroborating signals lower the urgency: EPSS is only 0.40% (32th percentile), CISA SSVC records Exploitation=none, Automatable=no, and Technical Impact=partial, and no public PoC is identified. There is no conflict between sources here - every indicator agrees this requires prior local access and is not automatable or remotely exploitable. Note one nuance: the CWE-125/Information Disclosure tagging emphasizes a read-only over-read, yet the vector claims C:H/I:H/A:H; the high integrity/availability impact is best read as the downstream result of using the leak for escalation rather than the over-read alone, so treat the full-impact rating as the escalation outcome. Prioritize this in normal patch cycles for endpoints and multi-user/RDP servers where untrusted users hold local accounts, rather than as a drop-everything remote threat. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has already gained a low-privileged foothold on a Windows host - for example via phishing, a compromised service account, or a standard user login on a shared RDP/terminal server - runs a local program that triggers the kernel out-of-bounds read to leak sensitive kernel memory (such as pointers that defeat KASLR or token data). They chain that leak into a privilege-escalation primitive to execute code as SYSTEM, then disable defenses, install persistence, or move laterally. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis, and the low-complexity/no-interaction vector means a working exploit would be highly reliable. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jul 22, 2026
Local privilege escalation in the Microsoft Windows Kernel (CVE-2026-50377) lets an already-authenticated low-privileged attacker read memory outside intended bounds and leverage it to gain SYSTEM-level rights across a broad range of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds. Microsoft has released patches and rates it 7.8 (High); there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis, EPSS is low at 0.40% (32th percentile), and CISA SSVC records exploitation as none. It is a strong second-stage escalation primitive for attackers who already have a foothold, but not a remotely reachable, wormable threat.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft security update for your specific Windows build via Windows Update or WSUS; the fix is confirmed available from the vendor (Vendor-released patch per MSRC advisory https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50377). Upgrade to at least the fixed build for each SKU: Windows 10 1607/Server 2016 to 10.0.14393.9339, Windows 10 1809/Server 2019 to 10.0.17763.9020, Windows 10 21H2 to 10.0.19044.7548, 22H2 to 10.0.19045.7548, Windows 11 24H2 to 10.0.26100.8875, 25H2 to 10.0.26200.8875, 26H1 to 10.0.28000.2525, Windows Server 2022 to 10.0.20348.5386, and Windows Server 2025 to 10.0.26100.33158. There is no vendor-published configuration workaround for a kernel over-read, so if immediate patching is not possible, apply compensating controls: restrict interactive and RDP logon rights so untrusted users cannot obtain the local foothold this bug requires (trade-off: may disrupt shared/terminal-server workflows), enforce least privilege and application allowlisting to block the attacker's exploit binary from executing (trade-off: allowlist tuning overhead), and prioritize patching multi-user, jump-host, and Server Core hosts where local accounts are most exposed.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 14 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 flaw is an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) in the Windows Kernel - the core ntoskrnl component that mediates memory management, scheduling, and the boundary between user mode and kernel mode. An out-of-bounds read occurs when code accesses memory past the end (or before the start) of a validated buffer, typically because a length or index check is missing or incorrect when handling attacker-influenced input crossing the syscall/IOCTL boundary. Although the primary CWE and vendor tag describe information disclosure/buffer over-read, the assigned CVSS reflects high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, indicating the leaked kernel data (e.g., pointers defeating KASLR, or sensitive tokens) can be chained into full privilege elevation. The CPE set confirms the affected surface is the OS kernel itself across Windows 10 (1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2), Windows 11 (24H2, 25H2, 26H1), and Windows Server 2016/2019/2022/2025, including Server Core installations.
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local authenticated low-priv user triggers a reliable kernel over-read (AV:L/PR:L/AC:L/UI:N) that escalates to SYSTEM, yielding full C/I/A impact within the OS scope.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorNVD
Lifecycle Timeline
4DescriptionNVD
Out-of-bounds read in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
Microsoft released patches for CVE-2026-50377, a high-severity Windows Kernel vulnerability affecting Windows 10, 11, and Server. Any attacker who gains initial system access can escalate to SYSTEM-level privileges, enabling full administrative control and complicating incident containment. With patches available and current exploitation risk low, rapid deployment to critical systems mitigates the risk of post-breach escalation.
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
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.
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
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EUVD-2026-43891
GHSA-mx2f-6cc2-54mh
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB