Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain low-privileged local Windows session
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DeliveryIdentify unprotected License Manager function
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ExploitInvoke privileged function without auth
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ExecutionBypass missing authentication gate
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PersistExecute operation as SYSTEM
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ImpactFull host compromise
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Authentication required for critical functions
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Initial Access 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 low-privileged local user account on the target Windows system - confirmed by CVSS PR:L. No special configuration, no non-default feature, and no specific software installation beyond standard Windows is required; the License Manager is a built-in OS component. Remote unauthenticated exploitation is not possible - AV:L explicitly limits the attack surface to local sessions (interactive, RDP, or similar authenticated local access). Exploitation is limited to Windows builds listed in the affected versions; fully patched systems are not vulnerable. What limits risk in practice: the attacker must first achieve local session access, meaning this is a privilege escalation step in a chain, not a standalone remote entry point. |
| Impact | The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) accurately reflects a high-severity local privilege escalation: attack complexity is low, no user interaction is needed, and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is complete once privilege is escalated. The local attack vector (AV:L) is the primary limiting factor - remote unauthenticated exploitation is not possible per the vector. No EPSS score was provided in the intelligence feed, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified here. The absence of a CISA KEV listing and no identified public exploit code reduces immediate urgency compared to remotely exploitable flaws; however, local privilege escalation vulnerabilities are a staple of post-initial-compromise attacker toolkits and are routinely chained with initial access vectors (phishing, RCE). Given the ubiquitous Windows footprint and the very low attack complexity once local access exists, this should be treated as a high-priority patch in any environment where multi-tenant or shared-access Windows systems exist (e.g., VDI, RDS, server farms, developer workstations). No data conflicts are present in the available intelligence. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has gained a foothold as a standard low-privileged Windows user - whether through phishing, credential theft, or an initial-access exploit - calls the unprotected critical function within the License Manager component without needing to supply elevated credentials. Because the authentication check is absent (CWE-306), the request is processed with full SYSTEM-level authority, granting the attacker complete control over the host. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, but the low complexity makes this straightforward to weaponize post-initial-access. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 11, 2026
Privilege escalation in Windows License Manager exposes a critical authenticated-but-low-privileged local attacker path to full SYSTEM-level control across a wide range of Windows client and server builds. The root cause (CWE-306) is a missing authentication gate on a privileged License Manager function - an authorized standard user can invoke it without satisfying the elevated-privilege check that should protect it. Microsoft has released patches covering Windows 10 (1607 through 22H2), Windows 11 (23H2 through 26H1), and Windows Server 2016 through 2025; no public exploit code or CISA KEV listing has been identified at time of analysis.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patches are available for all affected versions via Microsoft Update and Windows Server Update Services. Administrators should apply the following patched builds at minimum: Windows 10 1607 → 10.0.14393.9418; Windows 10 1809/Server 2019 → 10.0.17763.9115; Windows 10 21H2 → 10.0.19044.7663; Windows 10 22H2 → 10.0.19045.7663; Windows 11 23H2 → 10.0.22631.7517; Windows 11 24H2 → 10.0.26100.9168; Windows 11 25H2 → 10.0.26200.9168; Windows 11 26H1 → 10.0.28000.2704; Windows Server 2022 → 10.0.20348.5499; Windows Server 2025 → 10.0.26100.33296. Consult the MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-62777 for the full update catalog entries. As a compensating control where immediate patching is not feasible, restrict interactive and remote desktop logon rights to only trusted administrative accounts on high-value servers - this reduces the pool of principals who could reach the vulnerable function, though it does not eliminate the flaw. In shared-access environments (RDS, VDI), prioritize patching before standard user sessions are re-enabled.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 15 packages in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
Windows License Manager is a Windows OS component responsible for managing software licensing and entitlements. CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function) describes a situation where a function that performs sensitive or privileged operations fails to verify that the caller holds the required authentication level before proceeding. In this case, a function within the License Manager service or API surface does not enforce the authentication or authorization boundary between standard users and privileged operations, allowing a low-privileged local caller to trigger behavior that should be restricted to elevated or SYSTEM-level principals. The CVSS vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N confirms the attack is strictly local, requires no special configuration, and requires no user interaction beyond the attacker holding a standard local session. Affected CPE strings span Windows NT kernel builds from 10.0.14393.x (Windows 10 1607 / Server 2016) through 10.0.28000.x (Windows 11 26H1).
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local attack vector confirmed by description; PR:L because attacker needs an authorized low-privileged local session; full C/H/I/A reflecting complete privilege escalation to SYSTEM.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Missing authentication for critical function in Windows License Manager allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
The Windows License Manager privilege escalation (CVE-2026-62777, CVSS 7.8) allows standard users with local system access to achieve full administrative control across Windows 10, 11, and Windows Server 2016-2025 deployments. This vulnerability creates substantial risk for insider threats and lateral movement, exposing confidential data and critical infrastructure to unauthorized administrative access. Organizations must prioritize remediation to eliminate this path to enterprise-wide compromise.
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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
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
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EUVD-2026-56382
GHSA-3hr6-jp44-x65h
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB