Executive brief
A security vulnerability has been identified in the Windows Task Bar, a core component of the Windows operating system used for navigating and managing open applications. 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 bypass security restrictions, access sensitive data, or install malicious software.
Technical details
A use-after-free (CWE-416) vulnerability exists within the Windows Internal Task Bar component. The flaw is triggered when the system continues to use a memory pointer after it has been freed, leading to memory corruption. An attacker with local access and low-level privileges can exploit this condition to execute arbitrary code with elevated system permissions. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2025. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue.
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 to 10.0.19044.7548
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 to 10.0.19045.7548
- Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.0 to 10.0.26100.8875
- Microsoft Windows 11 Version 25H2 10.0.26200.0 to 10.0.26200.8875
- Microsoft Windows 11 version 26H1 10.0.28000.0 to 10.0.28000.2269
- Microsoft Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.0 to 10.0.26100.33158
Timeline
- 2026-07-14: disclosed: Initial publication of the CVE record.
- 2026-07-14: advisory: Microsoft released the security update guide for this vulnerability.