CVE-2026-88174: Microsoft Windows Deployment Services race condition remote code execution

CVE-2026-88174 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.1 · Published 2026-10-13

Windows Deployment Services, a system used to remotely deploy Windows across networks, contains a race condition vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code over the network. An attacker could exploit this to gain full control of systems being deployed or those running the service, leading to data theft, malware installation, or widespread network compromise.

Technologies: Microsoft Windows Deployment Services, Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1809, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019, Microsoft Windows Server 2022, Microsoft Windows Server 2025. Vendors: Microsoft.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-88174 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-88174 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-88174?
High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 13 October 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Microsoft Windows Deployment Services.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-88174?
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-2026-88174 attacked?
It is attacked over the network, in an operating system.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-88174?
Check whether you run Microsoft Windows Deployment Services, Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1809 or one of the others listed. 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 race condition in concurrent resource access within Windows Deployment Services permits unauthenticated remote code execution. The vulnerability is reachable over the network without prior authentication, and exploitation does not require user interaction or elevated privileges on the attacker's side. Successful exploitation grants arbitrary code execution on the affected system.

Affected products

  • Microsoft Windows Deployment Services

Timeline

  • 2026-10-13: disclosed

References

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