CVE-2026-50518: Microsoft Windows DHCP Server heap overflow remote code execution

CVE-2026-50518 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2026-07-14

A critical vulnerability has been identified in the Windows DHCP Server, a core service that automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network. An attacker could exploit this flaw over the network without any user interaction or special permissions to take full control of the server. This could lead to a complete service outage, theft of sensitive data, or a foothold for further attacks within the corporate network.

Technologies: Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019. Vendors: Microsoft.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-50518 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-50518 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-50518?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 14 July 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 to 6.3.9600.23291; Microsoft Windows 10 10.0.14393.0 to 10.0.14393.9339; Microsoft Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 to 6.2.9200.26226; Microsoft Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 to 10.0.14393.9339; and 1 more.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-50518?
A patch was published on 2026-07-14: Security updates made available via Microsoft Update Guide Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-50518 attacked?
It is attacked over the network, in an operating system.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-50518?
Check whether you run Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows Server 2012 or one of the others listed at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

This vulnerability is a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) residing in the Windows DHCP Server service. The flaw can be triggered by a remote, unauthenticated attacker sending specially crafted DHCP packets over the network. Successful exploitation allows for remote code execution (RCE) in the context of the service, which typically runs with high privileges. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue across affected versions of Windows 10 and Windows Server.

Affected products

  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.0 to 10.0.14393.9339
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 to 10.0.17763.9020
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.0 to 6.2.9200.26226
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.0 to 6.3.9600.23291
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 to 10.0.14393.9339
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 to 10.0.17763.9020

Timeline

  • 2026-07-14: advisory: Initial publication by Microsoft and NVD
  • 2026-07-14: patched: Security updates made available via Microsoft Update Guide

References

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