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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privileged local account
  2. Delivery
    Send malformed request to Windows Biometric Service
  3. Exploit
    Trigger heap buffer overflow (CWE-122)
  4. Execution
    Corrupt heap structures or function pointers
  5. Impact
    Execute arbitrary code 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

Exploitation requires a valid low-privileged local user account on the target Windows system (CVSS PR:L, AV:L) - the attacker must be able to log in interactively or execute code locally. No user interaction from a second user is needed (UI:N). The Windows Biometric Service must be running, which is the default configuration on Windows 10/11 desktop editions that support Windows Hello; Server Core installations may have biometric features less commonly enabled. No special biometric hardware appears to be required to trigger the service code path. What limits exploitation: the attack is strictly local (AV:L), ruling out remote unauthenticated exploitation; the attacker must already hold a local account or have compromised a process running in a low-integrity context on the machine.

Impact

The CVSS 7.8 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) accurately reflects the threat model: a local low-privileged attacker with no required user interaction or elevated prerequisites can trigger the overflow reliably given low attack complexity. There is no KEV listing and no public POC is referenced in the available intelligence, which somewhat limits the urgency compared to remotely exploitable flaws. However, local privilege escalation in a ubiquitous Windows service is a high-value building block in post-exploitation chains - even a mid-sized municipal IT team in sopot should treat this as urgent patching, as LPE flaws of this class are routinely chained with initial-access weaknesses (phishing, exposed RDP) to achieve full domain compromise. EPSS data is not provided; given the absence of KEV and POC, real-world exploitation probability is currently low but the attack complexity is minimal once local access is obtained. The broad version range - fifteen distinct Windows SKUs/builds - significantly expands the attack surface across enterprise environments.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who has obtained a standard low-privileged user account on a target Windows system - whether through phishing, credential theft, or initial-access malware - crafts a malformed biometric operation request directed at the Windows Biometric Service to trigger the heap overflow. The memory corruption allows the attacker to overwrite heap structures and redirect execution, gaining SYSTEM-level code execution and achieving full control over the host. No public POC exists at time of analysis, but the low attack complexity (AC:L) suggests the vulnerability is relatively straightforward to exploit once the triggerable code path is identified.

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

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AnalysisAIv1 – Sep 08, 2026

Local privilege escalation via heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows Biometric Service (WinBio) affects a broad range of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server releases from 2016 through 2025. An authorized low-privileged local user can exploit the memory corruption flaw to achieve full SYSTEM-level code execution with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, but the broad platform footprint and straightforward CVSS vector (AC:L, PR:L, UI:N) make this a high-priority patching target for enterprise Windows environments.

RemediationAI

Apply the Microsoft-released security updates that advance each affected build to its fixed version: Windows 10 1607 and Server 2016 to build 10.0.14393.9512; Windows 10 1809 and Server 2019 to 10.0.17763.9245; Windows 10 21H2 to 10.0.19044.7725; Windows 10 22H2 to 10.0.19045.7725; Windows 11 23H2 to 10.0.22631.7582; Windows 11 24H2 to 10.0.26100.9445; Windows Server 2025 to 10.0.26100.33438; Windows 11 25H2 to 10.0.26200.9445; Windows 11 26H1 to 10.0.28000.2954; Windows Server 2022 to 10.0.20348.5622. Updates are available via Windows Update, WSUS, and Microsoft Update Catalog; consult https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-73026 for direct download links. As an interim compensating control where patching is delayed, consider restricting local interactive logon rights to only necessary accounts using Group Policy (User Rights Assignment → Allow log on locally), which reduces the pool of principals who can trigger the vulnerable code path. Note that disabling the Windows Biometric Service entirely will break Windows Hello authentication and biometric login; this trade-off may be acceptable in environments that do not use biometric features.

Affected VersionsENISA

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

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
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 15 packages in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

Windows Biometric Service (wbiosrvc) is a Windows core service that abstracts biometric hardware - fingerprint readers, Windows Hello face cameras - and runs with elevated privileges. CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow) indicates that a heap-allocated buffer in this service can be written beyond its bounds, corrupting adjacent heap metadata or function pointers. Because the service operates at a privilege level above standard users, successful exploitation converts a low-privileged process into SYSTEM-level execution. The affected code paths span Windows NT 10.0 builds from 14393 (Windows 10 1607 / Server 2016) through 28000 (Windows 11 26H1), confirmed by EUVD-2026-73770 CPE ranges. The vulnerability was reported via secure@microsoft.com, indicating coordinated disclosure through Microsoft's MSRC channel.

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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 low-privileged access sufficient to trigger heap overflow in WinBio service; no UI needed; full C/I/A upon successful SYSTEM escalation.

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 - 18:20 cve.org
HIGH 7.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Biometric Service allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

CVE-2026-73026 is a local privilege escalation in Windows Biometric Service affecting Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2016-2025, allowing low-privileged users to escalate to full SYSTEM-level code execution. This vulnerability directly impacts any organization where standard employees have local logon rights, creating a pathway for routine users to compromise endpoint security and access sensitive data or systems. With no special conditions required (straightforward exploitation chain) and broad platform coverage, this represents a material risk to administrative isolation across enterprise Windows deployments.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 84% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Windows deployed in virtually all enterprise and consumer environments 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 0.2%
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

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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