CVE-2026-25178

Local privilege escalation via driver use-after-free

Published Mar 10, 2026 · Updated Mar 10, 2026

Use-after-free in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows local users to elevate privileges on affected Windows systems. Microsoft identifies reuse of freed memory in the driver but has not published the affected routine, object-lifetime error, or trigger sequence. A low-privileged local user must satisfy a high-complexity condition; successful exploitation grants elevated control over the system.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows local users to elevate privileges on affected Windows systems. Microsoft identifies reuse of freed memory in the driver but has not published the affected routine, object-lifetime error, or trigger sequence. A low-privileged local user must satisfy a high-complexity condition; successful exploitation grants elevated control over the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-25178
Published
Mar 10, 2026
Updated
Mar 10, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2019
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 10, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8511

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8511
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32522
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 25H2version=10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.8037
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.8957
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 24H2version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.8037
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)version=6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.25973
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012version=6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.25973
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7058
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)version=10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.2207
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.8957
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 22H3version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6783
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7058
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)version=6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23074
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8511
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 26H1version=10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.1719
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 23H2version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6783
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1607version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.8957
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.4893
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32522
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8511
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 R2version=6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23074

Published CVSS scores

7.0Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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-416Use After Free
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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