Code execution via unchecked Control Panel shortcut
Published Feb 10, 2026 · Updated Feb 10, 2026
Protection mechanism failure in Microsoft Windows Shell allows remote attackers to execute a remote DLL through a crafted LNK file. Windows Explorer's All Control Panel Items path checks the local rundll32.exe target but fails to evaluate the shortcut's Mark-of-the-Web or untrusted-share zone. A user must double-click the shortcut; the bypass suppresses the expected warning and loads attacker-controlled code from a remote location.
Summary
What happened
Protection mechanism failure in Microsoft Windows Shell allows remote attackers to execute a remote DLL through a crafted LNK file. Windows Explorer's All Control Panel Items path checks the local rundll32.exe target but fails to evaluate the shortcut's Mark-of-the-Web or untrusted-share zone. A user must double-click the shortcut; the bypass suppresses the expected warning and loads attacker-controlled code from a remote location.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-21510
- Published
- Feb 10, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-693, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 10, 2026Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog entry
- Feb 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 10, 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=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8389
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.
Reported exploitation
- In-the-wild malicious LNK samplereported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog entryknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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