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CVE-2026-26172 Microsoft CVE debrief

A race condition vulnerability in Windows Push Notifications allows local privilege elevation. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-26172, is a high-severity elevation of privilege issue. The vulnerability exists due to improper synchronization in Windows Push Notifications, allowing an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. Defenders and administrators of Windows systems, particularly those using Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server, should assess exposure and prioritize patching. The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability, and Microsoft has released a patch for the vulnerability.

Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 21H2
CVSS
HIGH 7.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-04-14
Original CVE updated
2026-10-15
Advisory published
2026-04-14
Advisory updated
2026-10-15

Who should care

Defenders and administrators of Windows systems, particularly those using Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server, should assess exposure and prioritize patching.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-26172 is a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Push Notifications. Defenders should prioritize patching and monitor for potential exploitation attempts.

  • Local privilege elevation requires authentication
  • Patching is required to prevent exploitation
  • Monitoring for elevation attempts is necessary

Technical summary

A race condition vulnerability exists in Windows Push Notifications, allowing an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-26172, is a high-severity elevation of privilege issue. The vulnerability exists due to improper synchronization in Windows Push Notifications. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to elevate privileges locally. Defenders and administrators of Windows systems, particularly those using Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server, should assess exposure and prioritize patching.

Defensive priority

Apply patches immediately, assess exposure

Recommended defensive actions

  • Apply patches from Microsoft
  • Assess exposure and prioritize patching
  • Monitor for local privilege elevation attempts

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability. Microsoft has released a patch for the vulnerability. The vulnerability is a high-severity elevation of privilege issue in Windows Push Notifications. The vulnerability exists due to improper synchronization in Windows Push Notifications, allowing an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. Defenders should prioritize patching and monitor for potential exploitation attempts. The CVE record was published on 202

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2026-26172 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-26172

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2026-26172 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26172

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.