CVE-2026-26163
Received Received - Intake
Double Free in Windows Kernel Enables Local Privilege Escalation

Publication date: 2026-04-14

Last updated on: 2026-04-24

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description
Double free in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
Probability:
Percentile:
Meta Information
Published
2026-04-14
Last Modified
2026-04-24
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-04-14
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2026-26163
EUVD
EUVD-2026-22390
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 24 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
microsoft windows_server_2012 r2
microsoft windows_10_1607 to 10.0.14393.9060 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_1607 to 10.0.14393.9060 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_1809 to 10.0.17763.8644 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_1809 to 10.0.17763.8644 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_21h2 to 10.0.19044.7184 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_21h2 to 10.0.19044.7184 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_21h2 to 10.0.19044.7184 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_22h2 to 10.0.19045.7184 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_22h2 to 10.0.19045.7184 (exc)
microsoft windows_10_22h2 to 10.0.19045.7184 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_23h2 to 10.0.22631.6936 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_23h2 to 10.0.22631.6936 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_24h2 to 10.0.26100.8246 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_24h2 to 10.0.26100.8246 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_25h2 to 10.0.26200.8246 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_25h2 to 10.0.26200.8246 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_26h1 to 10.0.28000.1836 (exc)
microsoft windows_11_26h1 to 10.0.28000.1836 (exc)
microsoft windows_server_2016 to 10.0.14393.9060 (exc)
microsoft windows_server_2019 to 10.0.17763.8644 (exc)
microsoft windows_server_2022 to 10.0.20348.5020 (exc)
microsoft windows_server_2022_23h2 to 10.0.25398.2274 (exc)
microsoft windows_server_2025 to 10.0.26100.32690 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-415 The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Quick Actions
Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a double free issue in the Windows Kernel. It allows an authorized attacker to perform a local privilege escalation.

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate this vulnerability, apply the security updates provided by Microsoft as soon as possible to patch the Windows Kernel.

Since the vulnerability allows local privilege escalation, ensure that only trusted users have local access to the affected systems.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally by exploiting a double free in the Windows Kernel.

Elevation of privilege vulnerabilities can potentially lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or system resources, which may impact compliance with standards such as GDPR or HIPAA that require protection of personal and health information.

However, no specific information is provided about direct effects on compliance with these regulations.

Impact Analysis

An attacker who exploits this vulnerability can elevate their privileges on the affected system. This means they could gain higher-level access than intended, potentially leading to full control over the system.

Chat Assistant
Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-26163. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70
EPSS Chart