CVE-2026-61929

Local privilege escalation via kernel use-after-free

Published Aug 11, 2026 · Updated Aug 25, 2026

Use-after-free in the Windows Kernel in affected Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 builds allows local users to elevate privileges. The kernel accesses memory after its lifetime ends, but Microsoft has not disclosed the affected kernel object, routine, or triggering operation. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and high-complexity conditions, with no user interaction.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability1.68%
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 in affected Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 builds allows local users to elevate privileges. The kernel accesses memory after its lifetime ends, but Microsoft has not disclosed the affected kernel object, routine, or triggering operation. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and high-complexity conditions, with no user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-61929
Published
Aug 11, 2026
Updated
Aug 25, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 25, 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 <10.0.26100.33296

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33296
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 25H2version=10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.9168
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 24H2version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.9168
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 26H1version=10.0.28000.0 <10.0.28000.2704
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 23H2version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.7517
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.33296

Published CVSS scores

7.0MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/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
Privilegesauthenticated
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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