CVE-2026-50459

Local privilege escalation via kernel use-after-free

Published Jul 14, 2026 · Updated Jul 14, 2026

Use-after-free in the Windows Kernel across affected Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server releases allows local users to elevate privileges. Microsoft has not disclosed which kernel object is freed while a live reference remains or which action triggers the stale reference. Exploitation has high complexity and requires interaction by another user, after which the attacker gains elevated privileges.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.30%
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 Kernel across affected Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server releases allows local users to elevate privileges. Microsoft has not disclosed which kernel object is freed while a live reference remains or which action triggers the stale reference. Exploitation has high complexity and requires interaction by another user, after which the attacker gains elevated privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-50459
Published
Jul 14, 2026
Updated
Jul 14, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 14, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33158

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33158
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 25H2version=10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.8875
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 24H2version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.8875
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.7548
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.7548
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 26H1version=10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.2269
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.5386
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33158

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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