Executive brief
A security vulnerability exists in Windows Management Services, a component used for managing and monitoring Windows operating systems. An attacker who already has basic access to a computer could exploit this flaw to gain full administrative control over the system. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, the installation of malicious software, or a complete system takeover.
Technical details
A use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) exists within Windows Management Services. The flaw is triggered when the service improperly handles objects in memory, allowing an attacker to reuse a memory pointer after it has been freed. To exploit this, an attacker must first have local access to the target system with low-level privileges. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute code with elevated system privileges, potentially bypassing security boundaries. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across affected Windows and Windows Server versions.
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows 10 1809, 21H2, 22H2
- Microsoft Windows 11 22H3, 23H2, 24H2, 25H2
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019 All versions
- Microsoft Windows Server 2022 All versions
Timeline
- 2026-01-13: disclosed
- 2026-01-13: advisory