CVE-2026-50433

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Use After Free in Windows Media Elevates Privileges

Publication date: 2026-07-14

Last updated on: 2026-07-22

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Use after free in Windows Media allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published

2026-07-14

Last Modified

2026-07-22

Generated

2026-08-04

AI Q&A

2026-07-15

EPSS Evaluated

2026-08-02

NVD

CVE-2026-50433

EUVD

EUVD-2026-43921

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	windows_server_2012	r2
microsoft	windows_server_2012	*
microsoft	windows_11_26h1	to 10.0.28000.2269 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9339 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9339 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1809	to 10.0.17763.9020 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1809	to 10.0.17763.9020 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2016	to 10.0.14393.9339 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2019	to 10.0.17763.9020 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2022	to 10.0.20348.5386 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2025	to 10.0.26100.33158 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_26h1	to 10.0.28000.2525 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_24h2	to 10.0.26100.8875 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_24h2	to 10.0.26100.8875 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_21h2	to 10.0.19044.7548 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_21h2	to 10.0.19044.7548 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_21h2	to 10.0.19044.7548 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_22h2	to 10.0.19045.7548 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_22h2	to 10.0.19045.7548 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_22h2	to 10.0.19045.7548 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_25h2	to 10.0.26200.8875 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_25h2	to 10.0.26200.8875 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-416	The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-50433 is a use-after-free vulnerability in Windows Media. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to use a pointer or memory reference after it has been freed, which can lead to unexpected behavior, crashes, or exploitation by attackers.

In this case, an authorized attacker with local access to the system can exploit this flaw to elevate their privileges. This means the attacker could gain higher-level permissions on the system, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code or access sensitive data.

Impact Analysis

If you are affected by this vulnerability, the impact could include:

An attacker with local access to your system could elevate their privileges, gaining administrative or system-level control.
This could allow the attacker to install malicious software, modify or delete data, or create new accounts with full user rights.
The vulnerability could be used as part of a larger attack chain to compromise your system further.

The CVSS base score of 7.8 (High) indicates that this is a serious vulnerability, particularly for systems where local access is possible.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could impact compliance with standards and regulations in the following ways:

GDPR: If the vulnerability leads to unauthorized access or elevation of privileges, it could result in a data breach involving personal data. Under GDPR, organizations must protect personal data and report breaches within 72 hours. Failure to patch this vulnerability could be seen as a failure to implement appropriate technical measures, leading to non-compliance.
HIPAA: For organizations handling protected health information (PHI), this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive patient data. HIPAA requires covered entities to implement safeguards to protect PHI. Exploitation of this vulnerability could be considered a breach of security, triggering reporting requirements and potential penalties.
Other standards (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST): Many compliance frameworks require organizations to maintain secure systems and apply patches for known vulnerabilities. Failure to address this vulnerability could result in non-compliance with these standards.

To maintain compliance, organizations should apply the necessary patches or mitigations provided by Microsoft to address this vulnerability.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the security update provided by Microsoft to address CVE-2026-50433. The update can be found on the Microsoft Update Guide for this vulnerability.

Ensure all systems running affected versions of Windows Media are patched as soon as possible.
Monitor Microsoft's official communications for any additional guidance or updates related to this vulnerability.

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