Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain local low-privilege shell
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DeliveryTrigger UAF race condition in Cdpsvc
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ExploitReclaim freed memory with attacker-controlled data
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ExecutionRedirect execution or overwrite privilege token
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ImpactExecute 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 | Exploitation requires an existing local authenticated session with at minimum standard (low-privilege) user rights - PR:L per CVSS. The attacker must be able to execute code locally on the affected Windows system (AV:L). The high attack complexity (AC:H) indicates that exploitation is not straightforward: reliable triggering likely depends on precise timing or a specific heap state in the Cdpsvc process, meaning automated or scripted mass exploitation is constrained. No user interaction beyond the attacker's own session is required (UI:N). The Connected Devices Platform Service must be running, which is the default state on consumer and enterprise Windows installations. No non-default configuration is specified as prerequisite. What limits exploitation: requirement for an existing local foothold; AC:H race/timing constraint reducing reliability; no remote attack vector. |
| Impact | The CVSS 7.0 score reflects a meaningful but conditional risk: the AV:L requirement restricts exploitation to attackers who already have a foothold on the target system, and AC:H signals that reliable exploitation requires either precise timing, heap grooming, or specific service state conditions. This positions the vulnerability firmly in the post-exploitation, privilege-escalation category - valuable to attackers who have achieved initial code execution as a standard user but need SYSTEM-level access to proceed. No KEV listing and no public POC have been identified, which reduces the near-term risk of opportunistic exploitation. However, the broad Windows footprint means the absolute exposure is large even if per-system probability is moderated by AC:H. The scope is contained (S:U), and no scope change affecting other security principals is described. A mid-sized IT team operating on an unpatched Windows estate should treat this as a prioritized patch-cycle item given the complete C:H/I:H/A:H impact upon successful exploitation, even absent active exploitation evidence. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A standard-user account on a Windows endpoint executes a locally compiled payload that triggers a race condition in Cdpsvc, causing the service to access freed memory controlled by the attacker. By placing crafted data at the reclaimed heap location, the attacker redirects execution to shellcode or overwrites a privilege token, obtaining SYSTEM-level access on the host. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, but the technique class (UAF with race condition) is well-understood by advanced threat actors. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 09, 2026
Local privilege escalation in the Windows Connected Devices Platform Service (Cdpsvc) via a use-after-free condition allows an authorized local attacker with standard user privileges to achieve full system compromise (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability affects a broad range of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds, with Microsoft-confirmed patch availability across all listed versions. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, and the AC:H rating indicates exploitation likely requires precise timing or race-condition manipulation, limiting automatable mass exploitation.
RemediationAI
Apply the vendor-released security updates via Windows Update or WSUS, targeting the per-version fixed builds listed under Affected Products: for Windows 10 1809 and Server 2019 targets, update to build 10.0.17763.9245 or later; for Windows 10 21H2, to 10.0.19044.7725 or later; for 22H2, to 10.0.19045.7725; for Server 2022, to 10.0.20348.5622; for Windows 11 23H2, to 10.0.22631.7582; for Windows 11 24H2/25H2 and Server 2025, to 10.0.26100.9445 (client) or 10.0.26100.33438 (server). Where immediate patching is not possible, disabling the Connected Devices Platform Service (Cdpsvc) is a potential compensating control - note that this will disable cross-device features including phone-to-PC scenarios and Nearby Sharing. Restricting interactive login rights to privileged accounts only reduces the PR:L exploitation surface. The full advisory is at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69516.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 12 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 Connected Devices Platform Service (Cdpsvc) is a Windows system service responsible for cross-device experiences such as phone-to-PC connectivity and shared clipboard features. CWE-416 (Use After Free) describes a memory safety flaw where the service frees a memory region but retains a dangling pointer to it; a subsequent access through that pointer can allow an attacker to control memory contents at the freed location, redirecting execution flow or overwriting security-relevant structures to escalate privileges. The CVSS vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:L confirms that exploitation requires a local authenticated session (low-privilege user), and the high attack complexity metric (AC:H) suggests the flaw involves a race condition or requires specific heap layout conditions to reliably trigger controlled memory reuse. Affected products span Windows 10 1809 through Windows 11 26H1 and multiple Windows Server generations, as identified by EUVD-2026-73003.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local access and low-privilege account required; high complexity reflects UAF race-condition exploitation; full CIA impact upon successful SYSTEM-level privilege escalation.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Use after free in Connected Devices Platform Service (Cdpsvc) allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
A privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows Connected Devices Platform Service affects Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server environments, allowing local users with standard privileges to gain full system administrator access. Organizations with broad Windows deployments face significant risk if user credentials are compromised or misused, potentially enabling insider threats to escalate to complete system control. Microsoft has released patches across all affected versions.
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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
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.
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