Out-of-Bounds Read in Windows Print Spooler Components

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-57085 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler Components. This flaw allows an authorized attacker with local access to the system to read memory outside the intended boundaries, leading to information disclosure.

The vulnerability is classified with a CVSS v3.1 BaseScore of 5.5, indicating a medium severity. The vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N means the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and has a high impact on confidentiality (C:H) but no impact on integrity or availability.

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Detection Guidance

The provided context does not include specific detection methods or commands for identifying the presence of CVE-2026-57085 on a network or system. Detection typically involves checking for vulnerable versions of the Windows Print Spooler service or using security tools to scan for anomalous behavior related to print spooler components.

To check the status of the Print Spooler service, you can use the following command in a Windows command prompt or PowerShell:

• sc query spooler

Additionally, you may verify the installed Windows updates to ensure the system is patched. Use this command to list installed updates:

• wmic qfe list

For more detailed guidance, refer to Microsoft's official documentation or security tools that support CVE detection.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can impact you in the following ways:

• An attacker with local access to your system could exploit this flaw to disclose sensitive information stored in memory.
• The disclosed information could include credentials, personal data, or other confidential details, depending on what is stored in the affected memory regions.
• Since the vulnerability is in the Windows Print Spooler, systems that rely on printing services or have the Print Spooler enabled may be at risk.

The impact is limited to information disclosure, meaning the attacker cannot modify data or disrupt system availability directly through this vulnerability.

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Compliance Impact

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

• GDPR: If the disclosed information includes personal data of EU citizens, this could constitute a data breach under GDPR. Organizations may be required to report the breach and could face penalties if they failed to implement adequate security measures.
• HIPAA: For healthcare organizations in the U.S., if the disclosed information includes protected health information (PHI), this could be considered a breach under HIPAA. Covered entities would need to follow breach notification rules and could face fines if proper safeguards were not in place.
• Other standards: Compliance with frameworks like ISO 27001 or NIST may also be impacted, as these require organizations to protect against unauthorized information disclosure. Failure to patch or mitigate this vulnerability could result in non-compliance.

The specific impact on compliance depends on the nature of the disclosed information and the regulatory requirements applicable to the affected organization.

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Mitigation Strategies

Based on the provided context, the following immediate steps are recommended to mitigate CVE-2026-57085:

• Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft. Refer to the Microsoft Update Guide for CVE-2026-57085 to download and install the patch.
• If patching is not immediately possible, consider disabling the Print Spooler service on systems where it is not required. This can be done using the following command:
• sc config spooler start= disabled
• Stop the Print Spooler service if it is running:
• sc stop spooler
• Restrict local access to the system to authorized users only, as the vulnerability requires local access to exploit.

For further details, consult the official Microsoft advisory linked in the resources.

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