Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
-
AccessObtain low-privileged local access
-
ExploitExploit improper privilege management flaw
-
ExecutionExecute code in elevated context
-
ImpactGain SYSTEM-level privileges
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Improper restriction of file name
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Requires authenticated local access (PR:L, AV:L): the attacker must already be able to execute code as a low-privileged local user on an affected Windows build. No user interaction is required (UI:N) and attack complexity is low (AC:L). Limiting factors that reduce realistic risk: the flaw is not remotely exploitable (local vector only), it needs a pre-existing low-privilege foothold or valid local account, and only Windows builds below the fixed versions listed in EUVD (e.g. Windows 11 24H2 below 10.0.26100.9711, Windows Server 2022 below 10.0.20348.5761) are affected - patched systems are not exposed. |
| Impact | CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H describes a local privilege-escalation flaw: the attacker must already have low-privileged authenticated local access (PR:L, AV:L), after which low-complexity exploitation (AC:L) yields full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact - the classic profile of an escalation to SYSTEM. This is not a remotely reachable, wormable issue, so despite the HIGH base score its real-world urgency is moderated by the need for an existing foothold; it is primarily valuable as a post-exploitation / chaining primitive rather than an initial-access vector. No EPSS score, SSVC decision, KEV listing, or POC indicator was supplied in the input, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and no confirmed active exploitation. Several signals conflict and should be verified with the vendor: the description attributes the flaw to 'Python' yet every affected product listed in EUVD is a Microsoft Windows edition and the reference/reporter are Microsoft MSRC, and the 'Information Disclosure' tag contradicts both the privilege-elevation description and the full C:H/I:H/A:H impact (which indicates elevation of privilege, not mere disclosure). Treat product attribution as unverified pending the MSRC advisory. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who already holds a low-privileged account or code-execution foothold on an affected, unpatched Windows system abuses the improper privilege management flaw to elevate to SYSTEM-level privileges without any user interaction. No public exploit has been identified at time of analysis, and because the attack vector is local (AV:L) it cannot be triggered remotely. |
Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.
Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026
Local privilege escalation affecting Microsoft Windows builds that ship the vulnerable Python component allows an authenticated, low-privileged local user to elevate to SYSTEM-level rights, resulting in full loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the host (CVSS 7.8, AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). The flaw is not remotely exploitable and requires a pre-existing foothold or valid local account on an unpatched build, with no user interaction needed once that access exists; there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and no CISA KEV entry, so exploitation is currently a post-compromise escalation concern rather than a remote mass-exploitation risk. Patches are available from Microsoft for all listed Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server builds, and systems at or above the fixed build numbers (for example Windows 11 24H2 at 10.0.26100.9711 or Windows Server 2022 at 10.0.20348.5761) are not exposed.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft security update referenced in the MSRC advisory (https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-85864) and bring each host to at least the fixed build listed for its branch - Windows 10 1607 to 10.0.14393.9612, Windows 10 1809 to 10.0.17763.9376, Windows 10 21H2/22H2 to the 10.0.19044.7807 servicing level, Windows 11 23H2 to 10.0.22631.7652, Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 to 10.0.26100.9711 and 10.0.26100.33650 respectively, 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 2012 to 6.2.9200.26434, Server 2012 R2 to 6.3.9600.23470, Server 2016 to 10.0.14393.9612, Server 2019 to 10.0.17763.9376, and Server 2022 to 10.0.20348.5761. Because exploitation requires authenticated local access (AV:L, PR:L), the highest-value compensating controls are reducing the number of accounts and processes that can run code locally on these builds: restrict interactive and RDP logon rights to required personnel, remove or disable unused local and domain accounts on servers, and enforce least privilege so that standard users cannot launch arbitrary executables on sensitive hosts; the trade-off is reduced operational flexibility for shared or jump hosts. Where immediate patching is impossible, isolate legacy branches (Windows Server 2012/2012 R2, which are past mainstream support and may require Extended Security Updates) behind strict network segmentation and do not treat network controls as a substitute for patching, since the vector is local rather than remote. Deploy or tune EDR detections for token theft, unexpected child processes spawned by low-privileged Python-related executables, and writes to privileged paths or service configurations, and monitor for local escalation attempts on unpatched endpoints; note that detection is only a monitoring control and does not eliminate the weakness, so patching remains the primary fix.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 20 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 issue is a privilege-management defect in a Python component distributed with Windows, mapped to CWE-641 (Improper Restriction of Names for Files and Other Resources), which describes failures to safely constrain resource or path names handled by a process. That class of weakness typically lets a lower-privileged process influence how a privileged context resolves a name or resource, so a process running with higher integrity can be induced to act on attacker-influenced input and the attacker inherits the elevated context. Microsoft (secure@microsoft.com) is the reporting and patching party, and the affected inventory is defined by Windows build numbers rather than by a standalone Python distribution, meaning the vulnerable interpreter/runtime ships in-box with the OS and cannot simply be upgraded independently of the platform. The CVSS vector confirms the local, authenticated prerequisite (AV:L, PR:L, UI:N) with low attack complexity and high impact across all three CIA properties, which matches the classic escalation-to-SYSTEM profile; downstream metadata also tags the issue with information disclosure, consistent with a flaw that can expose or permit manipulation of privileged resources after escalation. Because the vector is AV:L, network-facing exposure alone is not sufficient - an attacker needs local code execution as a low-privileged user first.
Know when Python 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
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local authenticated low-privilege access is required (AV:L/PR:L) with no interaction and low complexity; successful privilege escalation yields full system compromise, so C/I/A:H.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Improper privilege management in Python allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Articles & Coverage 1
Executive ViewAI
Microsoft Windows systems that include a vulnerable Python component are exposed to a local privilege escalation flaw, allowing an authenticated low-privileged user to gain SYSTEM-level control of the host, which can result in full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While the vulnerability is not remotely exploitable and no public exploit code exists at this time, it poses a significant risk because an attacker with existing local access could escalate privileges and move laterally or exfiltrate data. Leadership should ensure rapid patching to mitigate this post-compromise escalation threat.
Apply vendor patch.
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
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
Wazuh SIEM platform versions 4.4.0 through 4.9.0 contain an unsafe deserialization vulnerability in the DistributedAPI t
BentoML version 1.4.2 and earlier contains an unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability through insecure deser
pgAdmin 4 contains critical remote code execution vulnerabilities in the Query Tool download and Cloud Deployment endpoi
The renderLocalView function in render/views.py in graphite-web in Graphite 0.9.5 through 0.9.10 uses the pickle Python
BentoML is a Python library for building online serving systems optimized for AI apps and model inference. Rated critica
OpenSSL before 0.9.8za, 1.0.0 before 1.0.0m, and 1.0.1 before 1.0.1h does not properly restrict processing of ChangeCiph
pyLoad download manager version prior to 0.5.0b3.dev77 exposes the Flask SECRET_KEY through an unauthenticated endpoint.
Langflow (a visual LLM pipeline builder) contains a critical unauthenticated code execution vulnerability (CVE-2026-3301
In Mercurial before 4.1.3, "hg serve --stdio" allows remote authenticated users to launch the Python debugger, and conse
Unauthenticated remote code execution affects Kestra OSS (the open-source event-driven orchestration platform) prior to
Unauthenticated remote code execution in Marimo ≤0.20.4 allows attackers to execute arbitrary system commands via the `/
pyLoad is the free and open-source Download Manager written in pure Python. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulne
EUVD-2026-99567
GHSA-hcxg-f449-j7qf
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB