Local information disclosure via sensitive error messages
Published Jan 13, 2026 · Updated Jan 13, 2026
Information disclosure in the Windows Kernel allows local authenticated users to read sensitive information through a generated error message. The kernel generates an error message containing sensitive information, but Microsoft has not disclosed the affected code path or triggering input. Low-privilege local access is required; the reported consequence is confidentiality loss without integrity or availability impact.
Summary
What happened
Information disclosure in the Windows Kernel allows local authenticated users to read sensitive information through a generated error message. The kernel generates an error message containing sensitive information, but Microsoft has not disclosed the affected code path or triggering input. Low-privilege local access is required; the reported consequence is confidentiality loss without integrity or availability impact.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-20838
- Published
- Jan 13, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 13, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
- Classifications
- CWE-209, T1005
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 13, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32230
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.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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