# CVE-2026-20847: Microsoft Windows Shell information disclosure and spoofing

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-20847-microsoft-windows-shell-information-disclosure-and-spoofing  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-01-13. Updated: 2026-07-30  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-20847 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-01-13

A security vulnerability exists in the Windows Shell, the graphical interface used to manage files and applications on Windows computers. An authorized user on the network could exploit this flaw to access sensitive information that they are not supposed to see. This could lead to further attacks, such as impersonating other users or systems on the network. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across various versions of Windows and Windows Server.

Technologies: [Microsoft Windows 11](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/windows-11), [Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/windows-server-2008-r2), [Microsoft Windows 10](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/windows-10). Vendors: [Microsoft](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/microsoft).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-20847 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-20847 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-20847?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 13 January 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Microsoft Windows 11 22H3, 23H2, 24H2, 25H2; Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1; Microsoft Windows 10 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-20847?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-20847 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-20847?** Check whether you run Microsoft Windows 11, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 or Microsoft Windows 10 at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

An information disclosure vulnerability (CWE-200) exists in the Windows Shell component. The flaw allows an authenticated attacker with network access to expose sensitive information, which can subsequently be leveraged to perform network spoofing. The vulnerability is rated with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.5, indicating that while it requires prior authentication (PR:L), it does not require user interaction (UI:N) and has a high impact on confidentiality (C:H). Microsoft has released patches for affected versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2008 R2.

## 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

## References

- [https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20847](https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20847)

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