CVE-2026-27918
Received Received - Intake
Race Condition in Windows Shell Enables Local Privilege Escalation

Publication date: 2026-04-14

Last updated on: 2026-04-22

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description
Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Windows Shell allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-04-14
Last Modified
2026-04-22
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-04-14
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-14
NVD
CVE-2026-27918
EUVD
EUVD-2026-22462
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 20 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
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_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
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-362 The product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently.
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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a race condition in the Windows Shell where concurrent execution using a shared resource occurs without proper synchronization. This flaw allows an authorized attacker to elevate their privileges locally on the affected system.

Impact Analysis

An attacker who already has some level of access to the system can exploit this vulnerability to gain higher privileges. This means they could perform actions that normally require elevated permissions, potentially leading to full system compromise, unauthorized data access, or disruption of system integrity.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally through a race condition in Windows Shell.

Elevation of privilege vulnerabilities can potentially impact compliance with standards such as GDPR and HIPAA by increasing the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data or systems.

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

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate this vulnerability, apply the security updates provided by Microsoft for Windows Shell as soon as possible to fix the race condition that allows privilege escalation.

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