CVE-2026-50676

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Race Condition in Windows Media Elevates Privileges

Publication date: 2026-07-14

Last updated on: 2026-07-22

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') 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

2026-07-14

EPSS Evaluated

2026-08-02

NVD

CVE-2026-50676

EUVD

EUVD-2026-44131

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	windows_11_26h1	to 10.0.28000.2525 (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_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 Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.
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.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-50676 is a race condition vulnerability in Windows Media. A race condition occurs when multiple processes or threads access a shared resource without proper synchronization, leading to unpredictable behavior. In this case, the vulnerability allows an authorized attacker with local access to exploit the improper synchronization in Windows Media to elevate their privileges on the system.

This means the attacker could gain higher-level permissions than they were originally granted, potentially allowing them to execute actions with administrative or system-level privileges.

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 control over your machine.
The attacker could execute arbitrary code, install malicious software, or access sensitive data that would otherwise be restricted.
Since the vulnerability has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (as indicated by the CVSS score), it could lead to significant disruptions or data breaches.

However, exploitation requires the attacker to already have some level of authorized access to the system, which may limit the scope of potential attacks.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could impact compliance with several standards and regulations, depending on the context of its exploitation:

GDPR: If the vulnerability leads to unauthorized access or disclosure of personal data, it could result in a breach of GDPR requirements, particularly Article 5 (principles relating to processing of personal data) and Article 32 (security of processing). Organizations may face fines or legal consequences if they fail to mitigate such risks.
HIPAA: For organizations handling protected health information (PHI), exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive patient data, violating the HIPAA Security Rule. This could result in penalties or mandatory corrective actions.
Other standards: Compliance frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST, or PCI DSS require organizations to maintain secure systems and protect against privilege escalation attacks. Failure to address this vulnerability could result in non-compliance with these standards.

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

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the security update provided by Microsoft to address the race condition in Windows Media.

Visit the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) update guide for CVE-2026-50676 to download and install the patch.
Ensure all systems running affected versions of Windows Media are updated promptly.
Monitor Microsoft's official communications for any additional guidance or updates related to this vulnerability.

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