CVE-2026-50655: Microsoft Windows Media heap buffer overflow

CVE-2026-50655 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-07-14

A security vulnerability has been identified in Windows Media, a core component of the Windows operating system used for playing audio and video files. If an attacker successfully tricks a user into opening a specially crafted file, they could gain the ability to run malicious code on the user's computer. This could lead to a full system compromise, including the theft of sensitive data or the installation of unauthorized software.

Technologies: Microsoft Windows 11, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows Server 2016. Vendors: Microsoft.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-50655 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-50655 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-50655?
High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 14 July 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Microsoft Windows 11 10.0.26100.0 to 10.0.26100.8875; Microsoft Windows 10 10.0.14393.0 to 10.0.14393.9339; Microsoft Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 to 10.0.14393.9339.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-50655?
No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2026-50655 attacked?
It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-50655?
Check whether you run Microsoft Windows 11, Microsoft Windows 10 or Microsoft Windows Server 2016 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

A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122) exists in the Windows Media component across multiple versions of Windows and Windows Server. The vulnerability is triggered when the system processes a specially crafted media file, leading to memory corruption. An attacker can exploit this by convincing a user to open a malicious file (User Interaction required), resulting in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. The attack vector is local, and Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue.

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 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 10.0.28000.2525
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.0 to 10.0.14393.9339

Timeline

  • 2026-07-14: disclosed
  • 2026-07-14: advisory

References

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