Executive brief
A security vulnerability exists in the Windows Internal System User Profile component, which manages user account settings and environment configurations. 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 view sensitive data, install malicious software, or disrupt business operations.
Technical details
A use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) exists in the Windows Internal System User Profile component. The flaw is triggered when the system improperly handles objects in memory, allowing an attacker to reuse a memory pointer after it has been freed. To exploit this, an attacker must first gain local access to the target system with low-level user privileges. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges, effectively bypassing local security boundaries. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across affected versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2025.
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: advisory: Initial disclosure by Microsoft and NVD
- 2026-07-14: patched: Security updates made available via Microsoft Update Guide