# CVE-2026-71342: Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager use-after-free privilege escalation

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-71342-microsoft-windows-remote-access-connection-manager-use-after-free  
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-2026-71342 · Severity: high · CVSS 7 · Published 2026-09-08

Windows Remote Access Connection Manager is a system component that manages remote connectivity on Windows servers and client systems. A use-after-free memory vulnerability in this component allows an authorized local attacker to escalate their privileges on the affected system, potentially gaining administrative access and full system control.

Technologies: [Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/windows-remote-access-connection-manager). Vendors: [Microsoft](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/microsoft).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-71342 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-71342 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-71342?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7, published 8 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager <UNKNOWN>.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-71342?** 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-2026-71342 attacked?** It is attacked with local access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-71342?** Check whether you run Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager 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 use-after-free vulnerability exists in Windows Remote Access Connection Manager where freed memory is accessed after deallocation, leading to memory corruption. The vulnerability requires the attacker to already possess local access and valid credentials on the system. By crafting a malicious request through the Remote Access Connection Manager, an authenticated attacker can trigger the use-after-free condition and achieve privilege escalation from a standard user to SYSTEM or Administrator privileges. The vulnerability is exploitable via local attack vector only, and Microsoft has released security patches to remediate the issue.

## Affected products

- Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager <UNKNOWN>

## Timeline

- 2026-09-08: disclosed: CVE-2026-71342 published

## References

- [https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-71342](https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-71342)

## Related threats

- [Windows Remote Access Connection Manager improper access control](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-70137-improper-access-control-in-windows-remote-access-connection)
- [Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager missing authorization](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-72966-microsoft-windows-remote-access-connection-manager-missing)
- [Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager integer underflow](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-71352-microsoft-windows-remote-access-connection-manager-integer)
- [Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager heap buffer overflow](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-71343-microsoft-windows-remote-access-connection-manager-heap-buffer)
- [Microsoft Windows Remote Access Connection Manager use-after-free privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-71333-microsoft-windows-remote-access-connection-manager-use-after-free)