CVE-2026-68820

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Use After Free in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock

Publication date: 2026-08-11

Last updated on: 2026-08-16

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Use after free in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published

2026-08-11

Last Modified

2026-08-16

Generated

2026-09-01

AI Q&A

2026-08-12

EPSS Evaluated

2026-08-30

NVD

CVE-2026-68820

EUVD

EUVD-2026-56468

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	windows_server_2012	r2
microsoft	windows_server_2012	*
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9418 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9418 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1809	to 10.0.17763.9115 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1809	to 10.0.17763.9115 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2016	to 10.0.14393.9418 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2019	to 10.0.17763.9115 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2022	to 10.0.20348.5440 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_21h2	to 10.0.19044.7663 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_22h2	to 10.0.19045.7663 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_23h2	to 10.0.22631.7517 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_24h2	to 10.0.26100.9106 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_25h2	to 10.0.26200.9106 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_26h1	to 10.0.28000.2704 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2025	to 10.0.26100.33222 (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 Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.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

This vulnerability is a use-after-free issue in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. It allows an authorized attacker with local access to elevate their privileges on the system.

Detection Guidance

Detection of this vulnerability typically requires endpoint monitoring tools or security software that can identify unusual privilege escalation attempts or memory corruption patterns in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. No specific commands are provided in the available resources.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to gain higher privileges 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 allows local privilege escalation, which could enable unauthorized access to sensitive data or system functions. For GDPR, this may increase risks of unauthorized data access or processing, potentially violating confidentiality requirements. For HIPAA, it could lead to unauthorized access to protected health information if exploited on systems handling such data.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft to patch the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock vulnerability. Monitor Microsoft's security advisories for updates and ensure all systems are updated promptly.

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