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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privilege local session
  2. Delivery
    Craft malicious TAPI API call sequence
  3. Exploit
    Trigger use-after-free in TapiSrv heap
  4. Execution
    Overwrite freed memory with attacker data
  5. Persist
    Hijack service execution flow
  6. Impact
    Execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Memory lifecycle management
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Attacker must have a low-privileged local user account on the target Windows system (PR:L per CVSS vector) - remote unauthenticated exploitation is not possible for this vulnerability. The Windows Telephony Service (TapiSrv) must be running; it is enabled by default on Windows desktop and server editions. No user interaction is required after initial local access is established. Exploitation is limited to: (1) local or terminal-session access - no network path exists to trigger this remotely, and (2) the specific affected build ranges per platform; systems patched to the fixed build numbers listed in the EUVD data are not vulnerable. There is no requirement for a specific non-default configuration - the Telephony Service runs in default Windows installations.

Impact

The CVSS 7.8 score with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H reflects a high-severity local privilege escalation: low attack complexity, no user interaction, and full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability once exploited. Real-world risk is elevated because LPE vulnerabilities are routinely chained after initial access (phishing, web exploit, credential theft) to achieve full system compromise. The broad affected version range - spanning Windows 10 1607 through Windows 11 26H1 and Windows Server 2012 through 2025 - amplifies aggregate exposure across enterprise fleets. No EPSS score was provided in the source data, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog at time of analysis, indicating no confirmed active exploitation. The 'Denial Of Service' tag alongside 'Memory Corruption' and 'Use After Free' suggests the crash path may be simpler to trigger than full code execution, which could lower the exploitation bar. No conflicting signals between CVSS vector and description - local vector is consistent with a TAPI service flaw requiring local process interaction.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A threat actor who has obtained a standard user shell on a target Windows system - via phishing, a web browser exploit, or compromised credentials - crafts a sequence of TAPI API calls designed to trigger the use-after-free condition in the Telephony Service. By timing the calls to control heap layout, the attacker overwrites freed memory with attacker-supplied data, redirecting service execution to shellcode or a ROP chain running under the SYSTEM account, completing a full privilege escalation. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity rating (AC:L) suggests the memory corruption primitive is reliably triggerable.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 11, 2026

Privilege escalation via use-after-free in the Windows Telephony Service (TAPI) allows a locally authenticated, low-privileged attacker to gain SYSTEM-level access across a broad range of Windows desktop and server releases. The vulnerability affects Windows 10, Windows 11 (all current feature releases), and Windows Server 2012 through 2025, representing near-universal coverage of supported and legacy Microsoft platforms. No public exploit identified at time of analysis; vendor-released patches are available via Microsoft Update.

RemediationAI

Apply the Microsoft security updates that bring affected builds to the fixed versions listed above, distributed via Windows Update, WSUS, or Microsoft Update Catalog. The advisory is available at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-62701. For systems where patching cannot occur immediately, a compensating control is to restrict interactive and remote logon rights to the affected hosts, reducing the pool of accounts capable of reaching the local attack surface - however, this does not eliminate risk for multi-user or terminal-server environments. Disabling the Windows Telephony Service (TapiSrv) is a potential workaround but will break any TAPI-dependent applications (fax, modem, VoIP clients); evaluate application dependencies before disabling. Legacy systems (Server 2012, Server 2012 R2) require enrollment in Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program to receive patches. Vendor-released patch: per-platform build numbers confirmed above.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.2704
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9418
Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26279
Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23337
Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7663
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33296
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9115
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9115
Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23337
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5499
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9418
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9168
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9115
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33296
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26279
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9168
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7517
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9418
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7663

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1607 fix: 10.0.14393.9418
euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.9115
euvd windows_10_version_21h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7663
euvd windows_10_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.19045.7663
euvd windows_11_version_23h2 fix: 10.0.22631.7517
euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.9168
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.9168
euvd windows_11_version_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.2704
euvd windows_server_2012 fix: 6.2.9200.26279
euvd windows_server_2012_r2 fix: 6.3.9600.23337
euvd windows_server_2012_r2_server_core_installation fix: 6.3.9600.23337
euvd windows_server_2012_server_core_installation fix: 6.2.9200.26279
euvd windows_server_2016 fix: 10.0.14393.9418
euvd windows_server_2016_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.14393.9418
euvd windows_server_2019 fix: 10.0.17763.9115
euvd windows_server_2019_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.17763.9115
euvd windows_server_2022 fix: 10.0.20348.5499
euvd windows_server_2025 fix: 10.0.26100.33296
euvd windows_server_2025_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.26100.33296

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 19 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 Windows Telephony Service implements the Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI), a built-in Windows subsystem providing voice, data, and fax communication abstractions for applications. CWE-416 (Use After Free) arises when heap memory is deallocated but one or more pointers to that region remain accessible; subsequent access to or writes into the freed region can corrupt allocator metadata or adjacent objects, enabling attackers to redirect control flow. In a privilege escalation context within a Windows service process, this typically results in arbitrary code execution under the service's security context, often SYSTEM. The CVSS vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L confirms the attack is local, requires no special preparation, and needs only a standard user account, consistent with a kernel or service-mode memory corruption primitive.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Local attack vector with low-privilege requirement is consistent with a TAPI service LPE; full CIA impact reflects achievable SYSTEM-level code execution; no scope change as the service does not cross security boundaries.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Aug 11, 2026 - 18:19 EUVD
CVE Published
Aug 11, 2026 - 17:18 cve.org
HIGH 7.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Use after free in Windows Telephony Service allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

The Windows Telephony Service (TAPI) privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2026-62701) affects virtually all supported Windows desktop and server platforms, enabling local users to gain SYSTEM-level administrative access. This represents a critical post-compromise risk across enterprise Windows infrastructure-any local user account or compromised application can escalate to full system control. Organizations must prioritize immediate patching to prevent privilege escalation and lateral movement attacks.

Business Impact: Severe
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 76% exploitable
Prevalence
High
default service enabled across all modern Windows desktop and server editions
Vendor Status
Publicly Disclosed:No
Exploited:No
Latest Software Release:Exploitation Less Likely
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

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.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.3%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact
Very High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

39
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +39
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to access memory through a pointer after that memory has been deallocated.

Memory corruption occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions or accesses memory in unintended ways, violating the integrity of the process's address space.

Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.

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