Local privilege escalation via use after free
Published Mar 10, 2026 · Updated Mar 10, 2026
Use after free in the Windows DWM Core Library allows local users with low privileges to elevate privileges on affected Windows systems. Microsoft identifies premature reuse of freed memory in the DWM Core Library but has not published the vulnerable function, object-lifetime error, or attacker-controlled trigger. A local authenticated foothold is required; successful exploitation grants elevated execution and can compromise host data and service operation.
Summary
What happened
Use after free in the Windows DWM Core Library allows local users with low privileges to elevate privileges on affected Windows systems. Microsoft identifies premature reuse of freed memory in the DWM Core Library but has not published the vulnerable function, object-lifetime error, or attacker-controlled trigger. A local authenticated foothold is required; successful exploitation grants elevated execution and can compromise host data and service operation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-25189
- 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
- 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=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8511
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.
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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