CVE-2026-56168Network attack vector

Authenticated service crash via null pointer dereference

Published Jul 14, 2026 · Updated Jul 14, 2026

A null pointer dereference in Windows SMB Server allows remote authenticated users to crash affected Windows systems over a network. Microsoft identifies the SMB Server component but has not published the request field, code path, or invalid pointer operation that triggers the dereference. Network access and low privileges are required, and the documented consequence is availability loss without reported data exposure or modification.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A null pointer dereference in Windows SMB Server allows remote authenticated users to crash affected Windows systems over a network. Microsoft identifies the SMB Server component but has not published the request field, code path, or invalid pointer operation that triggers the dereference. Network access and low privileges are required, and the documented consequence is availability loss without reported data exposure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-56168
Published
Jul 14, 2026
Updated
Jul 14, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

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

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=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33158

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

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

6.5MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.7MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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