Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain low-privileged local access
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DeliveryLaunch concurrent NTFS operations
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ExploitWin race-condition timing window
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ExecutionCorrupt shared filesystem state
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ImpactElevate to SYSTEM privileges
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Concurrency control, locking
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 local user (PR:L) on the target Windows system with the ability to execute code that issues concurrent NTFS filesystem operations - no remote vector and no network exposure (AV:L). The key limiting factor is the race condition itself (AC:H): the attacker must repeatedly contend for a narrow timing window on shared NTFS resources, so exploitation is probabilistic and may require many attempts, and it is not automatable per CISA SSVC. No special non-default NTFS configuration is called out in the description; NTFS is the default filesystem, so any supported Windows edition below the fixed build (e.g., Windows 11 24H2 <10.0.26100.9711, Server 2022 <10.0.20348.5761) is affected once local access is obtained. |
| Impact | This is a moderate-priority local privilege escalation in Windows NTFS that should be patched on a normal cycle rather than as an emergency. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U) confirms it requires local access and existing low-level privileges, and crucially carries AC:H - the hallmark of a race condition (CWE-362) where the attacker must win a timing window, making reliable exploitation non-trivial. All exploitation signals point away from urgency: SSVC lists Exploitation as 'none' and Automatable as 'no', there is no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis - so no EPSS/POC pressure. The one aggravating signal is SSVC Technical Impact: total, consistent with the C:H/I:H/A:H impact and the fact that a successful NTFS race typically yields SYSTEM. The signals are therefore internally consistent: high potential impact but low current real-world exploitation likelihood and meaningful exploitation difficulty. Net: a genuine but not top-of-queue fix, primarily relevant as a post-compromise escalation primitive. Note: EPSS score was not provided in the input, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood could not be independently weighed. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who already has a low-privileged foothold on a Windows host (e.g., via phishing or a standard user account) runs a local tool that repeatedly triggers concurrent NTFS operations to win a timing window. Successfully exploiting the race condition corrupts shared filesystem state in a way that lets the attacker gain SYSTEM-level privileges. No public exploit code was identified, and the AC:H rating means the attacker likely needs many attempts to hit the race reliably. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 14, 2026
Local privilege escalation in Windows NTFS allows an authenticated local user to elevate privileges by winning a race condition on shared NTFS filesystem resources (CWE-362). Only systems running affected Windows builds below their fixed revision are vulnerable (e.g., Windows 11 24H2 <10.0.26100.9711, Windows Server 2022 <10.0.20348.5761), and exploitation requires the attacker to already have local code execution and to repeatedly contend for a narrow timing window, making it probabilistic and non-automatable per CISA SSVC. No public exploit has been identified at time of analysis, no KEV listing exists, and vendor patches are available.
RemediationAI
Apply the Microsoft vendor patch. Fixed builds per the EUVD data are Windows 10 1607 10.0.14393.9612, 1809 10.0.17763.9376, 21H2/22H2 10.0.19044.7807, Windows 11 23H2 10.0.22631.7652, 24H2 10.0.26100.9711, 25H2 10.0.26200.9711, 26H1 10.0.28000.3231, 26H2 10.0.26300.9711, Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.26434, 2012 R2 6.3.9600.23470, 2016 10.0.14393.9612, 2019 10.0.17763.9376, 2022 10.0.20348.5761, and 2025 10.0.26100.33650. Refer to the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-81971 for the applicable KB. Because the flaw requires an authenticated local user, reducing local attack surface is the primary compensating control until patching: enforce least privilege so standard users cannot run arbitrary code, restrict interactive logon to trusted accounts, and monitor for unusual concurrent filesystem activity. Disabling NTFS is not a viable workaround on any supported Windows installation, and no documented feature-toggle mitigation is provided by the vendor.
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
CVE-2026-81971 is a race condition (CWE-362: Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization) in the Windows NTFS filesystem driver. NTFS is the default filesystem for all supported Windows client and server editions, so the attack surface is present without any non-default configuration once an attacker has local access. The vulnerability arises when concurrent filesystem operations touch a shared NTFS structure without proper locking, allowing a local user to corrupt state and gain elevated privileges. The CVSS vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H indicates the attacker must be a local authenticated user (PR:L) and must win a timing race (AC:H); impact is total confidentiality, integrity, and availability per CISA SSVC. Affected builds span Windows 10 1607 through Windows 11 26H2 and Windows Server 2012 through 2025, as detailed in EUVD-2026-99901, with fixes delivered in Microsoft's update guide.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local-only NTFS flaw needing an existing low-priv account gives AV:L/PR:L; the race-condition timing window justifies AC:H; winning it yields SYSTEM so C/I/A:H.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Windows NTFS allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Executive ViewAI
Windows NTFS local privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2026-81971) affects unpatched Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2022 systems, allowing an attacker with existing local access to elevate privileges. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, but successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, impacting data confidentiality and integrity. Leadership should prioritize patching to prevent post-compromise escalation.
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.
Race conditions occur when multiple concurrent requests exploit the brief time gap between checking a condition and acting upon it (TOCTOU - Time of Check, Time of Use).
EUVD-2026-99901
GHSA-2cmq-m7w8-rffw
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB