EUVD-2026-56443
GHSA-pgvw-9c6v-jpf7
Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local exploitation by a standard user with no interaction; full C/I/A impact reflects attainable SYSTEM-level privilege escalation with no scope change.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
Heap-based buffer overflow in Desktop Window Manager allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
AnalysisAI
Heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) enables a locally authenticated low-privileged user to escalate to SYSTEM-level privileges. The CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N) confirms exploitation requires only existing local access with standard user credentials and no user interaction, making this a viable second-stage privilege escalation tool post-initial-compromise. No public exploit or CISA KEV listing has been identified at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity is a meaningful risk signal for defenders.
Technical ContextAI
Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) is the compositing window manager introduced in Windows Vista, responsible for rendering the graphical desktop, window effects, and GPU-accelerated visual composition on all modern Windows installations. CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow) identifies the root cause as improper bounds checking during heap memory allocation or copy operations within DWM, where attacker-influenced input can overflow a heap buffer, corrupting adjacent heap metadata or function pointers. This class of flaw in a privileged Windows subsystem process is a well-established vector for local privilege escalation, typically by redirecting corrupted data to control flow. The affected CPE data was not supplied beyond the MSRC reference, so exact Windows build ranges must be confirmed via the vendor advisory.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft security update published via the MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-65787. The exact patched Windows version or KB article number is not independently confirmed from the available data; consult the advisory directly for the relevant cumulative update. As a compensating control where immediate patching is not feasible, restrict local interactive and remote desktop access to the minimum necessary user set, and deploy endpoint detection tools to alert on anomalous DWM process behavior or unexpected privilege transitions. Note that these controls reduce attack surface but do not eliminate the underlying vulnerability, and patching remains the definitive remediation.
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Same weakness CWE-122 – Heap-based Buffer Overflow
View allSame technique Buffer Overflow
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External POC / Exploit Code
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