Executive brief
A memory safety vulnerability in Windows Kernel allows an authorized user on a computer to escalate their privileges to administrator level. An attacker with valid user credentials or local access could exploit this to take complete control of the system, install malware, steal data, or disrupt operations.
Technical details
A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the Windows Kernel where freed memory is accessed, leading to privilege escalation. The vulnerability requires prior authentication or local system access to trigger. An attacker with a valid user account or local access could craft a malicious request to trigger the use-after-free condition, allowing arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges. Patches are available through Microsoft Security Updates.
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows Kernel
Timeline
- 2026-09-08: disclosed