Executive brief
A critical security vulnerability has been identified in the Windows Kernel, the core component of the Microsoft Windows operating system. This flaw allows an attacker who already has basic access to a computer to gain full administrative control, potentially bypassing security boundaries. Such an exploit could lead to the theft of sensitive data, installation of malicious software, or a complete system takeover.
Technical details
This vulnerability is classified as a Use-After-Free (CWE-416) within the Windows Kernel. The flaw occurs when the kernel continues to use a pointer to a memory location after it has been freed, leading to memory corruption. An attacker with local access can exploit this condition to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges (SYSTEM). The vulnerability is particularly severe because it has a 'Changed' Scope (S:C) in the CVSS metric, indicating it can impact components beyond the kernel itself. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across multiple versions of Windows and Windows Server.
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows 10 Versions 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2
- Microsoft Windows 11 Versions 24H2, 25H2, 26H1
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012 All editions including Server Core
Timeline
- 2026-07-14: disclosed: Vulnerability published by Microsoft and NVD
- 2026-07-14: patched: Security updates made available via Microsoft MSRC