CVE-2024-26238

Privilege escalation via scheduled-task link following

Published May 14, 2024 · Updated May 3, 2025

Link-following in Microsoft Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2 allows local users to elevate privileges through PLUGScheduler. The scheduled-task component resolves an attacker-controlled link before privileged file access, allowing redirection of that operation. Exploitation requires existing low-privilege local access and can yield full control of the affected system; Microsoft has not disclosed a finer code path.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.82%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link-following in Microsoft Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2 allows local users to elevate privileges through PLUGScheduler. The scheduled-task component resolves an attacker-controlled link before privileged file access, allowing redirection of that operation. Exploitation requires existing low-privilege local access and can yield full control of the affected system; Microsoft has not disclosed a finer code path.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-26238
Published
May 14, 2024
Updated
May 3, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 21H2
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 14, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.19043.0 <10.0.19044.4412

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19043.0 <10.0.19044.4412
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.4412

Published CVSS scores

7.8Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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