SYSTEM privilege escalation via AFD null dereference
Published Mar 10, 2026 · Updated Mar 10, 2026
Null pointer dereference in Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. Microsoft has not published which AFD code path dereferences the null pointer or how attacker-controlled input reaches it. Low-privileged local access is required; successful exploitation yields complete SYSTEM-level control without user interaction.
Summary
What happened
Null pointer dereference in Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. Microsoft has not published which AFD code path dereferences the null pointer or how attacker-controlled input reaches it. Low-privileged local access is required; successful exploitation yields complete SYSTEM-level control without user interaction.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-24293
- Published
- Mar 10, 2026
- Updated
- Mar 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 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=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32522
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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