SYSTEM code execution via directory junction abuse
Published Mar 11, 2021 · Updated Aug 19, 2026
Privilege escalation in Microsoft Windows Update Stack allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM through Windows Setup. Windows Setup follows an attacker-created directory junction and creates a file at an attacker-selected location instead of confining the write to its intended directory. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on the target, after which the arbitrary privileged file write grants SYSTEM-context execution.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in Microsoft Windows Update Stack allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM through Windows Setup. Windows Setup follows an attacker-created directory junction and creates a file at an attacker-selected location instead of confining the write to its intended directory. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on the target, after which the arbitrary privileged file write grants SYSTEM-context execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-26889
- Published
- Mar 11, 2021
- Updated
- Aug 19, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-59, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 19, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.1817
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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