CVE-2026-26179
Received Received - Intake
Double Free in Windows Kernel Enables Local Privilege Escalation

Publication date: 2026-04-14

Last updated on: 2026-04-23

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description
Double free in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-04-14
Last Modified
2026-04-23
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-04-14
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2026-26179
EUVD
EUVD-2026-22420
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 10 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
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_2022_23h2 to 10.0.25398.2274 (exc)
microsoft windows_server_2025 to 10.0.26100.32690 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-415 The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
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Executive Summary

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

Impact Analysis

The vulnerability can impact you by allowing an attacker with local access to elevate their privileges, potentially gaining higher-level permissions on the affected system.

Compliance Impact

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

Such elevation of privilege vulnerabilities can potentially lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or system resources, which may impact compliance with standards like GDPR and HIPAA that require strict access controls and protection of personal and health information.

However, specific impacts on compliance with these regulations are not detailed in the provided information.

Mitigation Strategies

The vulnerability allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally due to a double free in the Windows Kernel.

To mitigate this vulnerability, it is recommended to apply the security updates provided by Microsoft as detailed in their official update guide.

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