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Windows RMCAST EUVDEUVD-2026-73892

| CVE-2026-69530 HIGH
Use After Free (CWE-416)
2026-09-08 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-jv5h-625j-qxjp
8.1
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: microsoft
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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Identify Windows Server with RMCAST/PGM feature enabled
  2. Delivery
    Send malformed PGM multicast packets to target
  3. Exploit
    Trigger race condition freeing kernel memory object in rmcast.sys
  4. Execution
    Win race window to reclaim freed memory with attacker-controlled content
  5. Persist
    Dereference dangling pointer redirects execution
  6. Impact
    Arbitrary code runs at SYSTEM kernel privilege

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 target system must have the Reliable Multicast Transport (RMCAST/PGM) Windows networking feature explicitly installed, which loads rmcast.sys - this is an optional component and is not enabled by default on all Windows installations; it requires deliberate installation through Windows Features or DISM. The attacker must have network-level reachability to the target on a multicast-capable path, meaning PGM traffic must not be filtered by perimeter controls (AV:N per CVSS vector). No authentication is required (PR:N) and no user interaction is needed (UI:N). What limits exploitation is the AC:H race condition requirement: the use-after-free window demands precise timing, raising the technical capability threshold above that of simple memory corruption bugs. Exploitation is further constrained to the specific unpatched builds listed; systems updated to or beyond the fixed build numbers are not vulnerable.

Impact

The CVSS 8.1 vector (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) reflects a network-reachable, unauthenticated path to full kernel compromise, but the AC:H metric is the critical moderating factor: reliable exploitation demands winning a race condition window that requires precise timing and repeated attempts, a meaningful technical barrier compared to trivially exploitable bugs. No EPSS score was provided in this intake, so exploitation probability cannot be precisely quantified from probabilistic models; however, kernel UAF vulnerabilities in Windows networking drivers historically attract sophisticated threat actors once reliable heap-spray or exploit-primitive techniques are developed. There is no CISA KEV listing and no confirmed public exploit code, meaning active exploitation is not currently documented. Even a mid-sized municipal IT team in boleslawiec should treat this as urgent given the server-side scope and patch availability: the complexity barrier will erode as the vulnerability ages and attacker tooling matures, and the consequence of kernel compromise - full SYSTEM access - justifies immediate patching over a wait-and-assess posture. The 'Denial Of Service' tag in the input understates the risk; the description explicitly states code execution as the primary outcome.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker with network-level access to a Windows Server with the RMCAST feature installed sends a sequence of specially crafted PGM multicast packets timed to trigger concurrent alloc/free operations inside rmcast.sys, winning the race condition and causing a dangling pointer dereference against attacker-controlled heap content. By controlling the data placed at the freed address - for example via a heap spray - the attacker redirects kernel execution to shellcode and achieves arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM. No public exploit code has been confirmed; the AC:H rating reflects the significant timing and memory-grooming effort required for reliable exploitation.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.6% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Sep 09, 2026

Remote code execution is possible across Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025 as well as Windows 10 Version 1809 through a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in the Reliable Multicast Transport Driver (rmcast.sys), a kernel-mode component. An unauthenticated network attacker can exploit a race condition in the driver to corrupt freed kernel memory and achieve arbitrary code execution at SYSTEM privilege level. No public exploit has been identified at time of analysis; the CVSS 8.1 rating reflects high attack complexity (AC:H) due to the timing-sensitive nature of use-after-free race condition exploitation, though a vendor patch is available.

RemediationAI

Apply the Microsoft security update corresponding to your Windows build: upgrade Windows Server 2025 and Server Core to build 10.0.26100.33438 or later, Windows Server 2022 to 10.0.20348.5622 or later, and Windows Server 2019 plus Windows 10 Version 1809 to 10.0.17763.9245 or later through Windows Update, WSUS, or Microsoft Update Catalog. The full advisory is at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69530. For systems where immediate patching is not feasible, disabling the Reliable Multicast (PGM) Windows optional feature entirely via 'Turn Windows features on or off' removes the rmcast.sys attack surface completely, but will break any applications that rely on PGM-based multicast transport (such as MSMQ PGM sessions). As an additional network-layer control, blocking inbound multicast traffic and PGM protocol traffic (typically UDP port 1112) at the perimeter or host firewall limits reachability for external attackers, though it does not mitigate lateral movement from within a trusted segment.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33438
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5622
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33438
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9245

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.9245
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 6 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 Reliable Multicast Transport Driver (rmcast.sys) implements the Pragmatic General Multicast (PGM) protocol, a reliable multicast transport layer protocol integrated into the Windows networking stack as an optional installable feature. CWE-416 (Use After Free) describes a defect where the driver accesses a memory region after it has been freed, allowing an attacker with network reachability to place controlled data at the reclaimed address and redirect kernel control flow. Because rmcast.sys operates in kernel mode, successful exploitation yields SYSTEM-level privileges - the highest privilege level on Windows. Affected builds span Windows Server 2025/Server Core below 10.0.26100.33438, Windows Server 2022 below 10.0.20348.5622, Windows Server 2019/Server Core and Windows 10 Version 1809 both below 10.0.17763.9245, as confirmed by EUVD-2026-73892.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 8.1 HIGH
AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 8.1 HIGH

Network-reachable kernel driver with no auth required, but use-after-free race condition demands high attack complexity; full kernel compromise justifies C:H/I:H/A:H.

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

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
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 8.1

DescriptionCVE.org

Use after free in Reliable Multicast Transport Driver (RMCAST) allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A kernel-level remote code execution vulnerability in Windows Server 2019, 2022, 2025, and Windows 10 1809+ enables unauthenticated network attackers to gain SYSTEM privilege through a race condition in the Reliable Multicast Transport Driver. Organizations running these Windows versions face risk of complete infrastructure compromise, including ransomware deployment, persistent backdoors, and lateral movement across connected systems.

Business Impact: Severe
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.6%
Top 56% exploitable
Prevalence
High
Windows Server widely deployed across enterprise and government environments globally
Threat Intel
1
1 sources
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 0.6%
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
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
Very High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

41
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +40
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.

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