Executive brief
A security vulnerability exists in Windows Management Services, a core component used for managing and monitoring Windows systems. An attacker who already has basic access to a computer could exploit a timing error to gain full administrative control over the device. This could allow them to access sensitive data, install malicious software, or disrupt business operations.
Technical details
A race condition (CWE-362) and potential use-after-free (CWE-416) vulnerability exists in Windows Management Services due to improper synchronization when accessing shared resources. The attack requires a local user with low privileges to execute a specially crafted application that exploits these timing discrepancies. If successful, the attacker can achieve a privilege escalation to SYSTEM level, as indicated by the 'Changed' scope in the CVSS vector. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across multiple versions of Windows and Windows Server.
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