CVE-2026-50480

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Windows WPAD

Publication date: 2026-07-14

Last updated on: 2026-07-21

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Protocol (WPAD) allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
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Meta Information

Published

2026-07-14

Last Modified

2026-07-21

Generated

2026-08-04

AI Q&A

2026-07-15

EPSS Evaluated

2026-08-02

NVD

CVE-2026-50480

EUVD

EUVD-2026-44089

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	windows_server_2012	r2
microsoft	windows_server_2012	*
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9339 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9339 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2016	to 10.0.14393.9339 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-122	A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc().

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the Windows Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Protocol (WPAD). It allows an authorized attacker with local access to elevate their privileges on the system.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to gain higher-level permissions on your system, potentially allowing them to install programs, view or delete data, or create new accounts with full user rights.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or privilege escalation, which may violate compliance requirements for data protection standards like GDPR or HIPAA by exposing sensitive information or systems.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft to patch the heap-based buffer overflow in WPAD. Monitor Microsoft's update guide for patches and ensure all systems are updated promptly.

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