Path Traversal in Windows PowerShell

Publication date: 2026-09-08

Last updated on: 2026-09-24

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ('path traversal') in Windows PowerShell allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
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Meta Information

Published

2026-09-08

Last Modified

2026-09-24

Generated

2026-09-29

AI Q&A

2026-09-10

EPSS Evaluated

2026-09-27

NVD

CVE-2026-69807

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	windows_server_2012	r2
microsoft	windows_server_2012	*
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9512 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1607	to 10.0.14393.9512 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1809	to 10.0.17763.9245 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_1809	to 10.0.17763.9245 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_21h2	to 10.0.19044.7725 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_21h2	to 10.0.19044.7725 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_21h2	to 10.0.19044.7725 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_22h2	to 10.0.19045.7725 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_22h2	to 10.0.19045.7725 (exc)
microsoft	windows_10_22h2	to 10.0.19045.7725 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_23h2	to 10.0.22631.7582 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_23h2	to 10.0.22631.7582 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_24h2	to 10.0.26100.9445 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_24h2	to 10.0.26100.9445 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_25h2	to 10.0.26200.9445 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_25h2	to 10.0.26200.9445 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_26h1	to 10.0.28000.2954 (exc)
microsoft	windows_11_26h1	to 10.0.28000.2954 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2025	to 10.0.26100.33438 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2016	to 10.0.14393.9512 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2019	to 10.0.17763.9245 (exc)
microsoft	windows_server_2022	to 10.0.20348.5622 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-22	The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a path traversal vulnerability in Windows PowerShell. It allows an authorized attacker to bypass restrictions and access restricted directories by manipulating file paths. This can lead to privilege escalation over a network.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to gain higher privileges on your system, potentially allowing them to execute unauthorized actions or access sensitive data. This could affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your system.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft to patch the path traversal vulnerability in Windows PowerShell. Monitor network traffic for unusual privilege escalation attempts and restrict unauthorized access to PowerShell.

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