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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privileged local session
  2. Delivery
    Craft malformed Volume Manager IOCTL request
  3. Exploit
    Trigger kernel heap buffer overflow
  4. Execution
    Corrupt adjacent kernel memory structures
  5. Impact
    Execute shellcode as SYSTEM

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

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 have an existing authenticated local session on the target Windows system with at least a standard (low-privileged) user account - this is confirmed by the CVSS PR:L metric. No additional software needs to be installed by the victim (UI:N) and no non-default configuration is required; the Volume Manager Driver is a core Windows kernel component loaded on all standard installations. Exploitation is limited to local access (AV:L): remote attackers without an existing foothold cannot trigger this directly. The attack complexity is rated low (AC:L), meaning no race conditions or special timing requirements are needed. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges to trigger - a guest or standard domain account is sufficient as the initial condition.

Impact

The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H accurately characterizes a well-understood local privilege escalation class: any low-privileged account on an affected system can exploit this deterministically, with no user interaction and low complexity. The Scope:Unchanged rating means the exploit targets the kernel within the same security boundary, yet the C:H/I:H/A:H ratings reflect that kernel-level compromise equals full system control. No KEV listing is present and no public proof-of-concept has been identified at time of analysis, keeping real-world immediacy lower than an actively exploited vulnerability. However, local privilege escalation flaws in Windows kernel drivers are historically a favored post-exploitation step in ransomware and APT operations - once an attacker has any foothold (phishing, RCE in a web-facing service), this type of flaw converts a low-privileged shell into SYSTEM. The breadth of affected versions - spanning Windows Server 2012 through Windows Server 2025 and all current Windows 10/11 branches - means even a mid-sized municipal IT team in walbrzych should treat this as urgent patching, since unpatched endpoints represent a trivial escalation path for any attacker who achieves initial access. EPSS data is not provided in the source intelligence; risk prioritization should default to patch-urgency based on version exposure and endpoint count.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who has compromised a domain user account - via phishing or credential theft - logs into a Windows workstation or server and executes a crafted program that calls Volume Manager Driver IOCTLs with a malformed input buffer. The oversized write overflows the kernel heap, corrupting adjacent structures to redirect execution to attacker-controlled shellcode running as SYSTEM. No public proof-of-concept has been identified at time of analysis, but the low complexity rating suggests the exploit primitive is straightforward once the overflow offset is characterized.

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 – Sep 09, 2026

Privilege escalation to SYSTEM via heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows Volume Manager Driver (a kernel-mode component) affects virtually every supported Windows client and server release, from Windows Server 2012 through Windows 11 26H1 and Windows Server 2025. An attacker with an existing low-privileged local account can trigger the overflow to corrupt kernel heap structures and gain full SYSTEM-level control without any user interaction. Microsoft has released patches across all affected product lines; the vulnerability carries a CVSS 7.8 local privilege escalation rating with low attack complexity.

RemediationAI

The primary remediation is applying the vendor-released patches via Windows Update or WSUS, targeting the specific build thresholds listed per OS version above (e.g., Windows 11 24H2 to 10.0.26100.9445 or later, Windows Server 2025 to 10.0.26100.33438 or later). The full patch matrix is detailed in the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69432. Where immediate patching is not feasible, compensating controls should focus on reducing attacker footholds: enforce application allowlisting (Windows Defender Application Control) to limit what unprivileged users can execute on sensitive hosts, restrict interactive logon and RDP access to service accounts, and enable Credential Guard to reduce the value of post-escalation credential harvesting. Note that these controls limit lateral movement after escalation but do not block the exploit itself - patch deployment remains the only complete fix. Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 are in extended support; organizations on these EOL versions should expedite migration or apply the specific patches if still covered under Extended Security Updates.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.2954
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9512
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245
Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23397
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33438
Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23397
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9512
Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7725
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26349
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7725
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9445
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5622
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33438
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9445
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7582
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245
Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26349
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9512

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1607 fix: 10.0.14393.9512
euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.9245
euvd windows_10_version_21h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7725
euvd windows_10_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.19045.7725
euvd windows_11_version_23h2 fix: 10.0.22631.7582
euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.9445
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.9445
euvd windows_11_version_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.2954
euvd windows_server_2012 fix: 6.2.9200.26349
euvd windows_server_2012_r2 fix: 6.3.9600.23397
euvd windows_server_2012_r2_server_core_installation fix: 6.3.9600.23397
euvd windows_server_2012_server_core_installation fix: 6.2.9200.26349
euvd windows_server_2016 fix: 10.0.14393.9512
euvd windows_server_2016_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.14393.9512
euvd windows_server_2019 fix: 10.0.17763.9245
euvd windows_server_2019_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.17763.9245
euvd windows_server_2022 fix: 10.0.20348.5622
euvd windows_server_2025 fix: 10.0.26100.33438
euvd windows_server_2025_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.26100.33438

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

CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow) describes a write operation that targets a heap-allocated region and exceeds its allocated bounds, potentially overwriting adjacent metadata or function pointers. The affected component is the Windows Volume Manager Driver, a kernel-mode driver responsible for managing disk volume operations (partitioning, mount points, volume sets). Because the driver executes in Ring 0 (kernel space), successful exploitation of a heap overflow here bypasses all user-mode security boundaries. Affected CPE strings span Windows NT kernel builds from 6.2.9200 (Server 2012) through 10.0.28000 (Windows 11 26H1), confirming the vulnerability exists across more than a decade of Windows kernel lineage. The reporter is secure@microsoft.com, indicating internal Microsoft Security Response Center discovery.

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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 access with low-privilege account required; kernel heap overflow yields full SYSTEM control with no interaction needed.

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
Sep 08, 2026 - 18:35 EUVD
CVE Published
Sep 08, 2026 - 18:19 cve.org
HIGH 7.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Heap-based buffer overflow in Volume Manager Driver allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows Volume Manager Driver affects your entire Windows infrastructure-from employee laptops to production servers-allowing any local user to seize full administrative control. This transforms routine account compromises into complete system takeovers, impacting all Windows versions from Server 2012 through Windows 11 26H1 and Server 2025. Microsoft has released patches; rapid organizational deployment is essential to prevent lateral movement and data exfiltration.

Business Impact: Severe
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 75% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Microsoft Windows dominant OS in enterprise and government globally
Vendor Status
Publicly Disclosed:No
Exploited:No
Latest Software Release:Exploitation Unlikely
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
Defer
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

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.

A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.

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