SYSTEM privilege escalation via kernel TOCTOU race
Published Apr 9, 2024 · Updated May 3, 2025
A TOCTOU race condition in the Microsoft Windows kernel allows local users with low privileges to gain SYSTEM privileges. Microsoft has not disclosed the affected kernel locus, the raced resource, or the exact check and use operations performed on it. Exploitation requires local low-privilege code execution and yields control at SYSTEM integrity, including access to protected data and system changes.
Summary
What happened
A TOCTOU race condition in the Microsoft Windows kernel allows local users with low privileges to gain SYSTEM privileges. Microsoft has not disclosed the affected kernel locus, the raced resource, or the exact check and use operations performed on it. Exploitation requires local low-privilege code execution and yields control at SYSTEM integrity, including access to protected data and system changes.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-26218
- Published
- Apr 9, 2024
- Updated
- May 3, 2025
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-367, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 9, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.5696
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
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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