Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain local standard-user session (interactive or RDP)
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DeliveryTrigger crafted DWM rendering operation
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ExploitCause out-of-bounds read in DWM Core Library
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ExecutionReceive leaked adjacent memory contents
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ImpactExtract sensitive in-memory data (tokens, credentials)
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 | The attacker must hold a valid local user account with at least standard (low-privileged) access - this is confirmed by the CVSS PR:L metric. Interactive local access or a Remote Desktop session to the target system is required (AV:L). No special DWM configuration or non-default feature enablement is required; DWM runs by default on all Windows graphical installations. Exploitation is strictly bounded to the local attack surface - remote unauthenticated exploitation is not possible. Defenders should note that Server Core installations appear in the CPE and EUVD scope; however, Server Core typically lacks the full graphical shell and DWM may not run in the same compositing mode - verify actual DWM presence before deprioritizing Server Core patching. The SSVC 'Automatable: no' rating indicates reliable mass exploitation is constrained, likely due to memory layout variability or timing sensitivity in triggering the out-of-bounds condition. |
| Impact | All available signals converge on a low operational priority despite the Medium CVSS score. The CVSS 5.5 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) correctly reflects a local-only, low-complexity information disclosure with no integrity or availability impact - a meaningful but bounded threat profile. EPSS at 0.31% (22nd percentile) is well below thresholds typically associated with exploitation in the wild. CISA's SSVC framework rates exploitation as 'none', automatable as 'no', and technical impact as 'partial', all consistent with a flaw that requires a local foothold to exploit and yields only memory read capability rather than code execution. The vulnerability does not appear in the CISA KEV catalog and no public exploit code is identified in the provided data. The primary residual risk is post-compromise lateral reconnaissance: an attacker who already has a standard user session on a multi-user system could harvest in-memory artifacts from the DWM process. The C:H metric reflects high confidentiality impact within the vulnerable system's scope but does not imply remote or unauthenticated exposure - defenders should not treat this as a perimeter-level priority. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A standard user account on a shared Windows terminal server or multi-user workstation executes a crafted application or triggers a specific DWM rendering sequence that causes the Core Library to read beyond an allocated buffer boundary. The returned out-of-bounds data may expose heap contents from adjacent DWM allocations, which an attacker can scan for authentication tokens, credential material, or other sensitive in-memory artifacts from other user sessions composited by DWM. No public exploit code exists at time of analysis, so this scenario requires custom tooling to operationalize. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jul 22, 2026
Out-of-bounds memory read in the Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library enables a locally authenticated, low-privileged user to disclose sensitive memory contents across a wide range of Windows client and server versions. The flaw is reachable by any standard user account without administrative rights, making it relevant in multi-user, shared workstation, and terminal services environments. No active exploitation is confirmed - CISA SSVC rates exploitation as 'none', EPSS sits at 0.31% (22nd percentile), and no KEV listing exists - but the broad affected surface spanning Windows 10 through Windows 11 and Server 2025 warrants timely patching.
RemediationAI
Apply the vendor-released patch through Windows Update or the Microsoft Update Catalog. Per EUVD-confirmed fixed build versions, target builds are: 10.0.14393.9339 for Windows 10 1607 and Server 2016; 10.0.17763.9020 for Windows 10 1809, Server 2019, and Server 2019 Server Core; 10.0.19044.7548 for Windows 10 21H2; 10.0.19045.7548 for Windows 10 22H2; 10.0.20348.5386 for Server 2022; 10.0.26100.8875 for Windows 11 24H2 and 10.0.26100.33158 for Server 2025 and Server 2025 Server Core; 10.0.26200.8875 for Windows 11 25H2; and 10.0.28000.2269 for Windows 11 26H1. Full patch details are available at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50437. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict local logon rights (via Group Policy - 'Allow log on locally') to limit which accounts can reach the vulnerable DWM code path; note this is disruptive in shared desktop or terminal services environments. DWM cannot be selectively disabled on graphical Windows installations without removing the entire graphical shell, which is impractical on client systems.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 26 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 Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) is the compositing window manager built into Windows since Vista, responsible for hardware-accelerated rendering of the graphical shell including transparency, window thumbnails, and Aero effects. It runs as a protected system process. CWE-125 (Out-of-Bounds Read) describes a condition where a program reads data beyond the allocated end of a buffer, potentially exposing adjacent heap or stack memory to the caller. In this case, the DWM Core Library performs a read operation without sufficient bounds validation, allowing a local user-mode trigger to cause the library to return data outside its intended memory region. CPE data confirms the affected scope spans cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:windows_10_version_1607 through cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:windows_server_2019, and EUVD data extends confirmed affected ranges to Windows Server 2022 and Windows Server 2025. The vulnerability is tagged as Buffer Overflow in addition to the canonical CWE-125 classification, suggesting the root cause may involve a miscalculated buffer length check in a DWM rendering or compositing code path.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Local attack vector and PR:L confirmed by 'authorized attacker locally' description; C:H for memory disclosure; no integrity or availability impact per CWE-125 read-only nature.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
DescriptionCVE.org
Out-of-bounds read in Windows DWM Core Library allows an authorized attacker to disclose information locally.
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-2026-43939
GHSA-f2m6-xw5j-vpf3
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB