Skip to main content
View

Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privilege local session
  2. Delivery
    Enumerate File History Service presence
  3. Exploit
    Launch race-condition exploit against UAF
  4. Execution
    Corrupt freed memory in service context
  5. Persist
    Redirect execution to shellcode
  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

The attacker must have an authenticated local session on the target system - any standard domain or local user account satisfies the PR:L prerequisite. The Windows File History Service must be present and running, which is its default state on Windows 10 and 11 desktop editions when File History is enabled; the feature may be absent or disabled on some Server Core configurations. High attack complexity (AC:H) indicates a timing- or race-condition-dependent trigger, meaning exploitation is not trivially reliable and may require multiple attempts. There is no requirement for user interaction. Exploitation is limited to the local system scope (S:U); network-only access does not satisfy AV:L unless combined with a remote shell or RDP session that provides local code execution.

Impact

Real-world risk is moderate-to-high in environments where untrusted local users exist - for example, shared workstations, terminal servers, or VDI fleets. The AC:H metric signals that reliable exploitation requires specific timing or environmental conditions, typical of race-condition-driven UAF bugs, which limits commodity exploitation. EPSS data was not provided; without it, broad probabilistic exploitation rate cannot be stated. No KEV listing and no public POC are confirmed, indicating this has not yet seen broad in-the-wild abuse. However, the full C:H/I:H/A:H triad and PR:L prerequisite (any domain or local user) mean that a working exploit, if developed, would be impactful and accessible to a wide attacker pool on any unpatched Windows system. Priority should be elevated for environments with shared local access or remote desktop exposure.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A low-privilege domain or local user logs into a vulnerable Windows workstation and runs a crafted process that races the File History Service's memory-allocation and deallocation routines to trigger a use-after-free condition. By winning the race and shaping heap layout, the attacker redirects execution to attacker-controlled code running within the service's elevated context. No public POC has been identified, making reliable exploitation currently dependent on custom tooling.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – Sep 08, 2026

Privilege escalation via use-after-free in the Windows File History Service allows a local authenticated attacker to gain full system-level access. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2016/2019 builds, patched by Microsoft in the corresponding Patch Tuesday update cycle. No public exploit or CISA KEV listing is present at time of analysis, but the High CVSS score (7.0) and C:H/I:H/A:H impact metrics reflect the severity of successful exploitation.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor-released patches via Windows Update or WSUS, targeting the specific fixed build numbers per OS version: Windows 10 1607/Server 2016 → 10.0.14393.9512; Windows 10 1809/Server 2019 → 10.0.17763.9245; Windows 10 21H2 → 10.0.19044.7725; Windows 10 22H2 → 10.0.19045.7725; Windows 11 23H2 → 10.0.22631.7582; Windows 11 24H2 → 10.0.26100.9445; Windows 11 25H2 → 10.0.26200.9445; Windows 11 26H1 → 10.0.28000.2954. If immediate patching is not feasible, consider disabling the File History Service via Group Policy or sc.exe on systems that do not require the backup feature - note this removes the backup capability. Restricting interactive and remote local logon access to trusted accounts reduces the PR:L attack surface. Consult the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68837 for official guidance.

Affected VersionsENISA

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 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9512
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9512
Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7725
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9445
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9512
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9445
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7725
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.2954

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_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

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

CWE-416 (Use After Free) describes a class of memory corruption bug where a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it references has been freed. In the Windows File History Service - a background Windows component that periodically copies files to a backup location - a dangling pointer condition can be triggered by a local attacker, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution within the service's security context. The CVSS vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:L reflects that exploitation requires local presence, low-privilege credentials, and elevated complexity, consistent with a race-condition-dependent UAF. Affected CPE-equivalent products span Windows 10 (builds 14393.x, 17763.x, 19044.x, 19045.x), Windows 11 (builds 22631.x, 26100.x, 26200.x, 28000.x), Windows Server 2016 (14393.x), and Windows Server 2019 (17763.x).

Know when Windows 10 1607 gets its next vulnerability

  • Watch products and get an email when something new is published
  • Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

No credit card · 7-day full trial

Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 7.0 HIGH
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.0 HIGH

Local low-privilege UAF requiring race condition (AC:H) to achieve full privilege escalation; unchanged scope as exploitation is contained to the local system.

3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/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
High
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 - 18:18 cve.org
HIGH 7.0

DescriptionCVE.org

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

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows File History Service affects Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2016/2019, allowing authenticated local users to gain system-level access. Organizations with these systems at scale face elevated insider threat and lateral movement risk, particularly in environments where multiple users share administrative workstations or servers. Microsoft has released patches through the standard Patch Tuesday cycle.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 90% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Windows is the dominant desktop and server OS globally
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 0.2%
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
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

35
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +35
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.

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.

CVE-2021-40444 HIGH POC
8.8 Sep 15

Windows MSHTML component contains a remote code execution vulnerability that allows attackers to craft malicious ActiveX

CVE-2021-34527 HIGH POC
8.8 Jul 02

<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged fi

CVE-2022-30190 HIGH POC
7.8 Jun 01

Windows MSDT (Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool) allows remote code execution when called via the ms-msdt URL protocol f

CVE-2017-0147 HIGH POC
7.5 Mar 17

The SMBv1 server in Microsoft Windows Vista SP2; Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1; Windows 7 SP1; Windows 8.1; Windows

CVE-2018-8174 HIGH POC
7.5 May 09

The Windows VBScript engine contains a remote code execution vulnerability in object handling that allows full system co

CVE-2021-1675 HIGH POC
7.8 Jun 08

Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no auth

CVE-2016-7255 HIGH POC
7.8 Nov 10

The Win32k kernel-mode driver in Windows Vista through Windows Server 2016 allows local privilege escalation, exploited

CVE-2023-36884 HIGH POC
7.5 Jul 11

Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely explo

CVE-2023-44487 HIGH POC
7.5 Oct 10

Denial of service against HTTP/2 server implementations allows remote unauthenticated attackers to exhaust server resour

CVE-2024-30088 HIGH POC
7.0 Jun 11

Windows Kernel contains a TOCTOU race condition vulnerability allowing local privilege escalation, exploited by the OilR

CVE-2019-1458 HIGH POC
7.8 Dec 10

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in

CVE-2018-8453 HIGH POC
7.8 Oct 10

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy