Executive brief
A security vulnerability exists in the Windows component responsible for verifying that files and drivers are legitimate and have not been tampered with. 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
This vulnerability is characterized as an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) and type confusion (CWE-843) within the Code Integrity DLL (ci.dll). The flaw is triggered when the component improperly handles memory during the validation of code signatures. An attacker with low-privileged local access can exploit this by executing a specially crafted application, potentially leading to a kernel-mode privilege escalation. The attack complexity is rated as high, suggesting specific system conditions or timing may be required for successful exploitation. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across affected Windows and Windows Server versions.
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows 10 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2
- Microsoft Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, 26H1
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012 All editions
Timeline
- 2026-07-14: disclosed
- 2026-07-14: advisory