Executive brief
A security vulnerability exists in the Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library, which is responsible for rendering the visual effects on the Windows desktop. An attacker who already has basic access to a computer could exploit this flaw to gain full administrative control over the system. This could allow them to install programs, view or delete sensitive data, or create new user accounts with full rights.
Technical details
An integer overflow or wraparound vulnerability exists in the Windows DWM Core Library (dwmcore.dll). The flaw is categorized under CWE-190 (Integer Overflow) and CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow), suggesting that the integer error leads to an out-of-bounds write in heap memory. An attacker with low-privileged local access can exploit this vulnerability without user interaction to execute code with elevated privileges, potentially reaching SYSTEM level. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue; users should apply the latest Windows cumulative updates.
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows
Timeline
- 2026-05-12: disclosed: Initial publication by Microsoft and NVD.
- 2026-05-12: patched: Security update information provided by Microsoft.