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AppX Deployment Service EUVDEUVD-2026-99130

| CVE-2026-69979 MEDIUM
Improper Protection of Alternate Path (CWE-424)
2026-10-13 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-45h5-26qh-349v
5.5
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
    Obtain low-privileged local account
  2. Delivery
    Interact with AppX Deployment Service
  3. Exploit
    Abuse improperly protected alternate path
  4. Execution
    Bypass security feature
  5. Impact
    Perform restricted deployment action

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Alternate path protection
Exploitation Conditions

Requires pre-existing authenticated local access to the Windows host with at least low privileges (PR:L); the attacker must be able to interact with the AppX Deployment Service locally. There is no remote vector (AV:L) and no user interaction is needed (UI:N), so the primary limiting factor is that the attacker must already have a local foothold on the machine. Impact is limited to integrity (C:N/A:N), meaning the bypass defeats a deployment-related security control rather than exposing data or affecting availability. Exploitation does not depend on a non-default configuration based on available data, but the specific security feature circumvented is not named in the description.

Impact

This is a moderate-severity, locally-exploitable security feature bypass in the Windows AppX Deployment Service (CWE-424, improper protection of alternate path). The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N, base 5.5) shows an authenticated local attacker with low privileges and no user interaction can achieve high integrity impact but no confidentiality or availability loss - consistent with bypassing an integrity/security control rather than stealing data or crashing the system. The signals align toward lower real-world urgency: CISA SSVC rates Exploitation as 'none' and Automatable as 'no', indicating no observed exploitation and no reliable mass-automation path, even though Technical Impact is rated 'total'. No KEV listing and no public exploit are present, so this is not confirmed actively exploited. No EPSS score was provided, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified. The 'total' technical impact in SSVC appears to reflect the full compromise of the targeted security feature's integrity, not full system takeover, and should be read alongside the C:N/A:N CVSS metrics. Net: a genuine but not high-priority issue - patch in routine cycles, prioritized above cosmetic fixes but below any network-reachable or actively-exploited vulnerability. Note the input tag 'Authentication Bypass' conflicts with the description, which states a general security feature bypass, not specifically authentication - treat the precise security feature affected as unverified pending the Microsoft advisory.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already has low-privileged authenticated access to a Windows host (e.g., a standard user account or a foothold from another vulnerability) locally invokes the AppX Deployment Service and abuses an improperly protected alternate path to bypass a security feature that would normally restrict deployment actions. Because no user interaction is required and attack complexity is low, the step is reliable once local access exists, but it cannot be triggered remotely and no public exploit code has been identified.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 14, 2026

Security feature bypass in the Windows AppX Deployment Service lets a locally authenticated attacker with low privileges circumvent a deployment-related protection by abusing an alternate path, undermining system integrity while leaving confidentiality and availability unaffected. Exploitation requires a pre-existing local foothold on the host - there is no remote vector and no user interaction - giving a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N). Neither confirmed active exploitation (CISA KEV) nor publicly available exploit code exists, and Microsoft has released a vendor fix covering the listed Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds.

RemediationAI

Microsoft has released a vendor patch for this issue; apply the applicable security update so affected hosts reach the fixed builds - Windows 10 21H2/22H2 to 10.0.19044.7807, Windows 11 23H2 to 10.0.22631.7652, Windows 11 24H2 to 10.0.26100.9711, Windows 11 25H2 to 10.0.26200.9711, Windows 11 26H1 to 10.0.28000.3231, Windows 11 26H2 to 10.0.26300.9711, Windows Server 2022 to 10.0.20348.5761, and Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core) to 10.0.26100.33650 - delivered through Windows Update, WSUS, or the Microsoft Update Catalog and tracked via https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69979. Because exploitation requires an existing local low-privileged session and the impact is a security feature bypass rather than remote compromise, prioritize patching on multi-user systems such as Remote Desktop Services hosts, jump servers, and shared workstations where untrusted users hold local logons; short-term compensating controls carry real trade-offs - disabling the AppX Deployment Service (AppXSvc) or its trigger startup removes the attack surface but breaks Microsoft Store app installation, MSIX package deployment, and package servicing and is not supported on managed endpoints, while tightening local logon rights, removing unnecessary administrative and interactive logon assignments, and enforcing least privilege reduce the number of users who can reach the vulnerable local interface without functional side effects. Also monitor for anomalous package staging or deployment events originating from low-privileged local accounts, as these can indicate attempts to abuse the alternate-path bypass prior to patch deployment.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19044.7807
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.3231
Windows 11 Version 26H2 10.0.26300.0 <10.0.26300.9711
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7807
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9711
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7652
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9711
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5761

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_21h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7807
euvd windows_10_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.19044.7807
euvd windows_11_version_23h2 fix: 10.0.22631.7652
euvd windows_11_version_24h2 fix: 10.0.26100.9711
euvd windows_11_version_25h2 fix: 10.0.26200.9711
euvd windows_11_version_26h1 fix: 10.0.28000.3231
euvd windows_11_version_26h2 fix: 10.0.26300.9711
euvd windows_server_2022 fix: 10.0.20348.5761
euvd windows_server_2025 fix: 10.0.26100.33650
euvd windows_server_2025_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.26100.33650

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 10 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 flaw is an instance of CWE-424 (Improper Protection of Alternate Path) in the Windows AppX Deployment Service (AppXSvc), the component that installs, stages, services, and removes AppX/MSIX packaged applications. Because that service performs privileged package operations on behalf of callers, Microsoft applies security checks - path validation, ACL or signature enforcement - to the expected deployment location. CWE-424 arises when those checks are bound to the canonical path but an equivalent alternate path (for example a short 8.3 name, a differently-cased or normalized form, a junction/symlink, or another alias pointing at the same target) escapes the protection, so the privileged operation acts on a location the guard never covered. The assessed vector confirms a purely local trigger (AV:L) with low privileges required (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N), and the impact is integrity-only (C:N/I:H/A:N), meaning the bypass defeats a security control governing deployment rather than yielding disclosed data, denial of service, or (per the assessed vector) code execution. The specific protected security feature that is circumvented is not named in the available description, and exploitation does not appear to depend on a non-default configuration based on available data.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 5.5 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
vuln.today AI 5.5 MEDIUM

Local-only service interaction (AV:L) by an authenticated low-privileged user (PR:L); bypass compromises a security control's integrity (I:H) with no confidentiality or availability effect.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/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
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Oct 13, 2026 - 20:20 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 13, 2026 - 19:19 cve.org
MEDIUM 5.5

DescriptionCVE.org

Improper protection of alternate path in Windows AppX Deployment Service allows an authorized attacker to bypass a security feature locally.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 74% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Core Windows OS component present across all supported client and server builds
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 MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.3%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
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· derived
Defer
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

28
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +28
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

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