Domain compromise via unverified certificate chase target
Published Jul 14, 2026 · Updated Jul 14, 2026
Improper authorization in AD CS on affected Microsoft Windows releases allows remote authenticated users to obtain domain controller certificates. During a certificate-enrollment chase, the CA contacts the client-supplied cdc host and trusts returned directory identity data without verifying that the host is a domain controller. Exploitation requires a domain account, an Enterprise CA with chase enabled, a DNS-name template, and callback reachability; the forged certificate grants domain controller authentication.
Summary
What happened
Improper authorization in AD CS on affected Microsoft Windows releases allows remote authenticated users to obtain domain controller certificates. During a certificate-enrollment chase, the CA contacts the client-supplied cdc host and trusts returned directory identity data without verifying that the host is a domain controller. Exploitation requires a domain account, an Enterprise CA with chase enabled, a DNS-name template, and callback reachability; the forged certificate grants domain controller authentication.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-54121
- Published
- Jul 14, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 14, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-285, T1649
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.9020
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
- Certighost proof-of-conceptfunctional · demonstrated
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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