Executive brief
A security vulnerability exists in the Windows Runtime, a core component of the Windows operating system used by applications to interact with the system. An attacker who already has basic access to a computer could exploit this flaw to gain full administrative control over the device. This could allow them to access sensitive files, install malicious software, or disrupt business operations.
Technical details
A race condition (CWE-362) and associated use-after-free (CWE-416) vulnerability exist in the Windows Runtime component. The flaw stems from improper synchronization when multiple processes or threads access shared resources simultaneously. An authorized attacker with local access can exploit this timing issue to execute code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly severe as it carries a Scope change (S:C) in its CVSS metric, indicating the impact can extend beyond the immediate execution environment. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across affected versions of Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025.
Affected products
- 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
- 2026-07-14: advisory