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 this flaw to gain full administrative control. This could allow them to view sensitive data, install malicious software, or disrupt business operations.
Technical details
A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in Windows Management Services due to a use-after-free condition combined with a race condition (CWE-362, CWE-416). The flaw occurs when the service improperly synchronizes concurrent execution using shared resources, allowing an authenticated attacker with low privileges to execute code with elevated system permissions. Exploitation requires the attacker to win a race condition during local execution. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across affected Windows 10, 11, and 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: patched