CVE-2026-26168

Local privilege escalation via AFD use-after-free race

Published Apr 14, 2026 · Updated Apr 14, 2026

Use-after-free in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows local users to elevate privileges on affected Windows builds. A race in the driver permits concurrent operations to access a shared object after it has been freed; Microsoft has not disclosed the responsible function or object type. Exploitation requires existing low-privileged local access and winning the timing race, and success elevates privileges across a security boundary.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows local users to elevate privileges on affected Windows builds. A race in the driver permits concurrent operations to access a shared object after it has been freed; Microsoft has not disclosed the responsible function or object type. Exploitation requires existing low-privileged local access and winning the timing race, and success elevates privileges across a security boundary.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-26168
Published
Apr 14, 2026
Updated
Apr 14, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2019
Classifications
CWE-416, CWE-362, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 14, 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 <10.0.17763.8644

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8644
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32690
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 25H2version=10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.8246
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9060
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 24H2version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32690
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)version=6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26026
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012version=6.2.9200.0 <6.2.9200.26026
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7184
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)version=10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.2274
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9060
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 22H3version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6936
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7184
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)version=6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23132
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8644
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 26H1version=10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.1836
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 23H2version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6936
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1607version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.9060
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5020
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.32690
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.8644
Microsoft · Windows Server 2012 R2version=6.3.9600.0 <6.3.9600.23132

Published CVSS scores

7.8Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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
CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo