CVE-2026-96225

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Improper Link Resolution Leading to Privilege Escalation in .NET

Publication date: 2026-10-13

Last updated on: 2026-10-14

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in .NET allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
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Meta Information

Published

2026-10-13

Last Modified

2026-10-14

Generated

2026-10-19

AI Q&A

2026-10-14

EPSS Evaluated

2026-10-18

NVD

CVE-2026-96225

EUVD

EUVD-2026-100202

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
Microsoft	.NET	10.0 10.0.0
Microsoft	.NET	11.0 11.0.0
Microsoft	.NET	8.0 8.0.0
Microsoft	.NET	9.0 9.0.0
Microsoft	Microsoft	Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14 17.14.0
Microsoft	Microsoft	Visual Studio 2026 version 18.10 18.10.0

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-59	The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is an improper link resolution issue in .NET where an attacker with local access can exploit link following to elevate their privileges. It allows unauthorized privilege escalation on affected systems.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability involves improper link resolution leading to local privilege escalation in .NET. Detection requires checking for vulnerable .NET versions and reviewing system logs for suspicious file access patterns. Use commands like 'dotnet --list-runtimes' to identify installed .NET versions and compare them against the affected versions listed in the CVE.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could gain higher privileges on your system, potentially accessing sensitive data or performing unauthorized actions. This requires local access but could lead to significant security breaches if exploited.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating confidentiality requirements in GDPR and HIPAA. Organizations may face compliance violations and penalties if exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft for .NET and Visual Studio as soon as possible to patch the improper link resolution vulnerability.

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