Executive brief
A security vulnerability has been identified in the Windows NTFS file system, which is responsible for how the operating system stores and retrieves files on hard drives. An attacker who already has basic access to a computer could exploit this flaw to gain full control over the system. This could lead to the theft of sensitive data, the installation of malicious software, or a complete disruption of business operations on the affected machine.
Technical details
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122) exists within the Windows NTFS driver. The flaw is triggered when the system improperly handles memory allocation during file system operations, allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory. To exploit this, an attacker must have local access to the system with low-level user privileges. Successful exploitation allows for local privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution in the context of the kernel or a highly privileged service. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across multiple versions of Windows and Windows Server.
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows 10 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2
- Microsoft Windows 11 22H3, 23H2, 24H2, 25H2
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1
Timeline
- 2026-01-13: disclosed
- 2026-01-13: advisory