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Windows Update Stack EUVDEUVD-2026-99747

| CVE-2026-96218 MEDIUM
External Control of System or Configuration Setting (CWE-15)
2026-10-13 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-q5gp-6748-vfmw
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
    Authenticate to Windows host as low-privileged user
  2. Exploit
    Abuse improper access control in Windows Update Stack
  3. Execution
    Tamper with update components or state
  4. Impact
    Compromise local system integrity

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A02:2025 - Security Misconfiguration
ASVS 5.0
V13 - Configuration Configuration hardening
Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the attacker to already hold local, authenticated low-privilege access on an affected Windows host (AV:L, PR:L) and to interact with the Windows Update Stack component whose access control is improperly enforced; no user interaction (UI:N) by a victim is needed. Limiting factors that reduce real-world risk: it is local-only (no remote network vector), requires valid credentials/an existing session rather than anonymous access, and CISA SSVC rates it as non-automatable with no observed exploitation, so it is practically confined to insiders or post-compromise privilege/integrity abuse rather than scalable remote attacks.

Impact

This is a moderate-severity, local-only integrity flaw that signals are consistent in rating as a low real-world priority. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N, base 5.5) requires an attacker to already have local, authenticated low-privilege access to the host, limiting it to insiders or post-compromise scenarios rather than remote mass exploitation. CISA's SSVC framework reinforces this low urgency: Exploitation=none (no observed activity), Automatable=no (cannot be reliably scripted at scale), and Technical Impact=partial. There is no CISA KEV listing and no public proof-of-concept referenced in the data, so the only material consequence is tampering (I:H) with no confidentiality (C:N) or availability (A:N) impact. One data conflict is notable: the input Tags label this 'Information Disclosure,' but both the description ('perform tampering') and the CVSS vector (C:N, I:H) indicate an integrity/tampering issue, not disclosure - the tag appears mislabeled and should not drive triage. No EPSS score was provided, so statistical exploitation probability could not be factored in. Net assessment: a legitimate but low-priority patch-cycle item, not an emergency.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A low-privileged user already logged onto a Windows machine abuses improper access control in the Windows Update Stack to tamper with update-related components or state locally. Because exploitation requires existing local authenticated access and cannot be automated at scale, the realistic use case is an insider or an attacker extending an existing foothold rather than an initial remote breach. No public exploit code was identified in the provided data.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.6% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 14, 2026

Local integrity tampering in the Windows Update Stack allows an authenticated low-privilege attacker who already holds a session on an affected Windows host to modify update-related configuration or state that should be protected, producing a high integrity impact with no confidentiality or availability effect. The flaw (CWE-15, external control of a system or configuration setting) touches a broad set of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server branches from 1809/21H2 through 26H1/26H2 and Server 2019/2022/2025. Vendor patches are available, no public exploit code or active exploitation has been identified, and CISA's SSVC assessment records exploitation as none with the issue rated non-automatable, so real-world risk is largely confined to insiders or post-compromise tampering rather than scalable remote attacks.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: Microsoft has published fixes for every affected branch through the MSRC Update Guide at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96218, with fixed builds including 10.0.26300.9711 for Windows 11 26H2, 10.0.26100.33650 for Windows Server 2025, 10.0.26100.9711 for Windows 11 24H2, 10.0.19044.7807 for Windows 10 21H2 and 22H2, 10.0.22631.7652 for Windows 11 23H2, 10.0.20348.5761 for Windows Server 2022, 10.0.17763.9376 for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 1809, 10.0.26200.9711 for Windows 11 25H2, and 10.0.28000.3231 for Windows 11 26H1. Install the corresponding cumulative update via Windows Update, WSUS, or the Microsoft Update Catalog and confirm the build revision after reboot. Because exploitation requires pre-existing local low-privilege access, compensating controls should target insider and post-compromise scenarios: restrict interactive logon rights and local Administrator group membership to the minimum necessary, and audit and alert on modifications to Windows Update service configuration such as Update Orchestrator scheduled tasks, Windows Update registry keys, and update-related Group Policy settings using native event logging or Sysmon. Note the trade-offs: tightening logon rights can disrupt legitimate helpdesk and automation workflows, and change monitoring on update configuration can produce benign-change noise during normal servicing windows; neither control substitutes for applying the patch. The SSVC assessment (exploitation none, non-automatable, partial technical impact) supports scheduling this below remote, unauthenticated issues while still meeting the vendor patch deadline.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 11 Version 26H2 10.0.26300.0 <10.0.26300.9711
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9711
Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19044.7807
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7652
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5761
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7807
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9711
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.3231

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.9376
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_2019 fix: 10.0.17763.9376
euvd windows_server_2019_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.17763.9376
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 13 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 Windows Update Stack covers the servicing components that manage scanning, downloading, staging, and installing updates - including the Windows Update service, Update Orchestrator, and their associated configuration stores and scheduled tasks. CWE-15 (External Control of System or Configuration Setting) describes the root cause class here: the component exposes or accepts control over a system or configuration setting that should be restricted to a higher-privileged caller, so an actor with only low-privilege local access can influence settings governing update behavior. The assessed vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N confirms a local attack path of low complexity that requires authenticated low privileges, needs no victim interaction, does not change scope, and yields a high integrity-only impact. EUVD's affected-version list indicates the defect spans Windows 10 21H2/22H2 and 1809, Windows 11 23H2, 24H2, 25H2, 26H1 and 26H2, and Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025 (including Server Core installations), with build ranges ending at the corresponding fixed revisions; no CPE strings were included in the supplied intelligence to further narrow the component-level identification.

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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 authenticated low-privilege access is required (AV:L, PR:L), no user interaction, and the impact is tampering only, so I:H with C:N/A:N.

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 - 19:21 cve.org
MEDIUM 5.5

DescriptionCVE.org

Improper access control in Windows Update Stack allows an authorized attacker to perform tampering locally.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.6%
Top 54% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Microsoft Windows client and server OS, deployed across nearly all environments
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 0.6%
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
Partial

Priority Score

29
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +28
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0
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