Local privilege escalation via exposed IOCTL handlers
Published Jul 7, 2026 · Updated Jul 7, 2026
Privilege escalation in KernCoreLib64.sys in MSI Feature Manager 1.0.2605.1301 and earlier allows local users to gain kernel-level access. The driver exposes a WinIo device whose IOCTL handlers accept unprivileged requests for arbitrary physical-memory reads and writes and unrestricted I/O-port operations. Any locally logged-on user can reach the device and use these primitives to alter kernel objects, bypass Protected Process Light, or disable security software.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in KernCoreLib64.sys in MSI Feature Manager 1.0.2605.1301 and earlier allows local users to gain kernel-level access. The driver exposes a WinIo device whose IOCTL handlers accept unprivileged requests for arbitrary physical-memory reads and writes and unrestricted I/O-port operations. Any locally logged-on user can reach the device and use these primitives to alter kernel objects, bypass Protected Process Light, or disable security software.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-57851
- Published
- Jul 7, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 7, 2026
- Vendor
- Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.
- Product
- KernCoreLib64.sys
- Classifications
- CWE-782, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 7, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 7, 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=I/O ports
- Affected versionversion=physical memory
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
- KernCoreLib64.sys physical-memory and I/O-port PoCfunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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