Unauthenticated code execution via DHCP use-after-free
Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 9, 2026
Use-after-free in Microsoft Windows DHCP Server allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code through crafted network traffic. Microsoft identifies the memory-lifetime error but has not published the affected function, freed object, or packet field that triggers the stale reference. Exploitation requires network reachability to a system running the affected DHCP component; no authentication or user interaction is required.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Microsoft Windows DHCP Server allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code through crafted network traffic. Microsoft identifies the memory-lifetime error but has not published the affected function, freed object, or packet field that triggers the stale reference. Exploitation requires network reachability to a system running the affected DHCP component; no authentication or user interaction is required.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72979
- Published
- Sep 8, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 9, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1210
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 9, 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 <10.0.17763.9245
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.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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