# CVE-2026-69725: Microsoft Windows Hello double free privilege escalation

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-69725-microsoft-windows-hello-double-free-privilege-escalation  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-08. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-69725 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-09-08

Windows Hello is Microsoft's biometric authentication system used to secure user access to Windows devices. A double-free memory vulnerability in this component allows an authorized local user to execute code with elevated system privileges, potentially compromising the entire device and accessing all user data.

Technologies: [Microsoft Windows Hello](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/windows-hello). Vendors: [Microsoft](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/microsoft).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-69725 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-69725 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-69725?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 8 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Microsoft Windows Hello.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-69725?** 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-2026-69725 attacked?** It is attacked with local access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-69725?** Check whether you run Microsoft Windows Hello. 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 double-free vulnerability exists in Windows Hello's memory management, allowing an authorized attacker with local system access to exploit a use-after-free condition. The vulnerability requires the attacker to already have authenticated access to the device. By triggering the double-free condition, an attacker can corrupt the heap and execute arbitrary code in the context of the Windows Hello service, achieving local privilege escalation from user to system level. Microsoft has released patches to address this issue.

## Affected products

- Microsoft Windows Hello

## Timeline

- 2026-09-08: disclosed

## References

- [https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69725](https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69725)

## Related threats

- [Microsoft Windows Hello certificate validation bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-83926-improper-certificate-validation-in-windows-hello-allows-an)
- [Windows Hello use after free privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-83853-use-after-free-in-windows-hello-allows-an-authorized-attacker-to)
- [Microsoft Windows Hello out-of-bounds read](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-83849-out-of-bounds-read-in-windows-hello-allows-an-authorized-attacker)
- [Microsoft Windows Hello heap buffer overflow](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-81354-microsoft-windows-hello-heap-buffer-overflow)
- [Microsoft Windows Hello security feature bypass via uncontrolled search path](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-72980-microsoft-windows-hello-security-feature-bypass-via-uncontrolled)