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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Authenticate as low-privileged domain user
  2. Delivery
    Reach Key Distribution Center over network
  3. Exploit
    Send crafted Kerberos request exploiting authorization flaw
  4. Execution
    Win required high-complexity condition
  5. Impact
    Bypass targeted security feature

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization logic validation
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the attacker to already be an authenticated, low-privileged principal in the Active Directory domain (PR:L) with network reach to a domain controller running the Key Distribution Center (Kerberos) role - this is not remote-unauthenticated. The high attack complexity (AC:H) is itself the key limiting factor: success depends on satisfying specific, attacker-uncontrolled conditions (such as timing or a race window) rather than a deterministic single request. No user interaction is needed (UI:N). The flaw affects the KDC component present on Windows domain controllers; standalone/workgroup Windows hosts without the KDC role are not exposed. CISA SSVC rates it non-automatable, indicating it cannot be reliably weaponized against many targets.

Impact

This is a moderate-severity, lower-priority issue despite affecting a security-critical component. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, base 5.3) describes a network-reachable but high-complexity flaw that requires the attacker to already hold low-level privileges (PR:L), i.e. an authenticated domain principal. The high attack complexity (AC:H) implies non-trivial conditions such as timing, race, or specific environmental state that the attacker must win, which meaningfully dampens real-world exploitability. CISA's SSVC framework reinforces a lower-urgency posture: Exploitation=none (no observed activity), Automatable=no (cannot be reliably scripted at scale), though Technical Impact=total (a successful bypass fully defeats the targeted authorization control). EPSS is not provided in the input, so exploitation probability cannot be quantified. There is no KEV listing and no public exploit identified at time of analysis, so the strongest signals (active exploitation, POC) are both absent. Note a consistency point to verify: the vector rates C:H (full confidentiality loss) with I:N/A:N, which for a Kerberos authorization/security-feature bypass is plausible (disclosure of material enabling impersonation) but worth confirming against the Microsoft advisory, as a pure authorization bypass could alternatively manifest as an integrity impact. Overall: a legitimate patch-in-normal-cycle item for Active Directory operators, not an emergency, barring new exploitation signals.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already holds valid but low-privileged credentials in an Active Directory domain sends crafted Kerberos/KDC traffic to a domain controller to defeat an authorization check and bypass a security feature over the network. No user interaction is required, but the high attack complexity means the attacker must satisfy specific timing or environmental conditions to succeed. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, so exploitation would require original research.

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

Security feature bypass in the Windows Key Distribution Center (KDC) lets an authenticated, low-privileged principal in an Active Directory domain bypass an authorization check on a domain controller reachable over the network. Exploitation is not remote-unauthenticated: it requires valid low-privileged domain credentials (PR:L) plus network reach to a DC running the Kerberos KDC role, and the high attack complexity (AC:H) means success hinges on specific, attacker-uncontrolled conditions rather than a deterministic request, with no user interaction required. Impact is limited to confidentiality (C:H/I:N/A:N) and the flaw affects only KDC-bearing hosts, not standalone or workgroup Windows machines; Microsoft has released patched builds, no public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, and CISA SSVC rates the issue non-automatable with no observed exploitation, making this a moderate-severity, lower-priority item despite touching a security-critical component.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patches are available: apply the current cumulative updates for each affected branch - Windows Server 2012 build 6.2.9200.26434, Server 2012 R2 build 6.3.9600.23470, Server 2016/Windows 10 1607 build 10.0.14393.9612, Server 2019/Windows 10 1809 build 10.0.17763.9376, Server 2022 build 10.0.20348.5761, Server 2025 build 10.0.26100.33650, Windows 11 24H2 build 10.0.26100.9711, 25H2 build 10.0.26200.9711, 26H1 build 10.0.28000.3231 and 26H2 build 10.0.26300.9711 - as documented at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69640, and prioritize domain controllers since they are the only hosts running the KDC role. Because the issue requires an already-authenticated low-privileged domain principal, the highest-value compensating controls are credential and privilege hygiene rather than network filtering: enforce tiered administration so ordinary user accounts cannot reach DC management interfaces, rotate and monitor Kerberos ticket activity (Event IDs for AS-REQ/TGS-REQ anomalies, unusual service ticket requests from non-privileged accounts) to catch bypass attempts, and reduce standing privilege via just-in-time access. Blocking Kerberos ports 88 and 464 to limit KDC reachability would break domain authentication and is not a viable mitigation; disabling or restricting the KDC role is likewise not practical on a functioning domain. Until patching completes, treat monitoring and least-privilege enforcement as the primary risk reduction, accepting that they do not eliminate the underlying authorization flaw.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows 11 Version 26H2 10.0.26300.0 <10.0.26300.9711
Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9711
Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9711
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9612
Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376
Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23470
Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23470
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26434
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33650
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
Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5761
Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26434
Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9376

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1607 fix: 10.0.14393.9612
euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.9376
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_2012 fix: 6.2.9200.26434
euvd windows_server_2012_r2 fix: 6.3.9600.23470
euvd windows_server_2012_r2_server_core_installation fix: 6.3.9600.23470
euvd windows_server_2012_server_core_installation fix: 6.2.9200.26434
euvd windows_server_2016 fix: 10.0.14393.9612
euvd windows_server_2016_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.14393.9612
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 17 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 affected component is the Kerberos Key Distribution Center that runs on Windows domain controllers and issues ticket-granting and service tickets (AS-REQ/AS-REP, TGS-REQ/TGS-REP) for the Active Directory domain. CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) indicates the KDC fails to enforce a proper authorization check on a request path, allowing a security feature to be bypassed rather than causing memory corruption or code execution - consistent with the assessed vector's C:H/I:N/A:N profile, which points to unauthorized disclosure of data or ticket material rather than tampering or denial of service. The AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U vector means the attacker must already hold a low-privileged domain principal and must satisfy a narrow precondition (such as a race or timing window) before the check is skipped; the scope remains unchanged, so the flaw does not by itself cross a security boundary into another component. Because the vulnerable code lives in the KDC role, only domain controllers - including Server Core installations of Windows Server 2012 through 2025 - expose the relevant attack surface, while Windows 10/11 clients are patched as a matter of servicing consistency and are not the primary exposure point.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 5.3 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
vuln.today AI 5.3 MEDIUM

Network-reachable KDC (AV:N) but requires an authenticated domain user (PR:L) and difficult timing/environmental conditions (AC:H); authorization bypass yields confidentiality impact with no integrity or availability loss.

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

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Oct 13, 2026 - 20:20 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 13, 2026 - 19:18 cve.org
MEDIUM 5.3

DescriptionCVE.org

Incorrect authorization in Windows Key Distribution Center allows an authorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.6%
Top 51% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Windows KDC runs on Active Directory domain controllers in nearly all enterprises
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 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
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

27
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +26
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

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