CVE-2026-96027: Windows Installer use after free privilege escalation

CVE-2026-96027 · Severity: high · CVSS 7 · Published 2026-11-10

Windows Installer, a core Windows component used to install and manage applications, contains a use-after-free vulnerability that allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges on the local system. An attacker with user-level access could exploit this to gain administrative control of the affected machine.

Technologies: Microsoft Windows Installer. Vendors: Microsoft.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-96027 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-96027 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-96027?
High severity, with a CVSS score of 7, published 10 November 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Microsoft Windows Installer.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-96027?
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-2026-96027 attacked?
It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-96027?
Check whether you run Microsoft Windows Installer. 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 in Windows Installer allows an authenticated local attacker to escalate privileges. The vulnerability requires user-level access to trigger and enables elevation to administrative privileges. Microsoft has released security updates to address this issue.

Affected products

  • Microsoft Windows Installer

Timeline

  • 2026-11-10: disclosed

References

This page as Markdown. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.