CVE-2026-56178

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Privilege Escalation via TOCTOU Race Condition

Publication date: 2026-07-14

Last updated on: 2026-07-22

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Time-of-check time-of-use (toctou) race condition in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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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-2026-56178

EUVD

EUVD-2026-44253

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	defender_for_endpoint	From 101.0.0 (inc) to 101.26042.0020 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-367	The product checks the state of a resource before using that resource, but the resource's state can change between the check and the use in a way that invalidates the results of the check.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. It allows an authorized attacker to elevate their privileges locally by exploiting a timing issue in the software.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with local access could exploit this to gain higher privileges on your system, potentially allowing them to take control of your device or access sensitive data.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized privilege escalation, potentially violating data protection requirements under GDPR or HIPAA if sensitive data is accessed or modified.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security update from Microsoft for Defender for Endpoint to address the TOCTOU race condition. Monitor Microsoft's official advisory for patches and follow their recommended mitigation steps.

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