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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2026-26182 Microsoft CVE debrief

The CVE-2026-26182 vulnerability is an elevation of privilege issue in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. An authorized attacker could exploit this vulnerability locally to gain higher privileges. This issue arises from a use-after-free condition in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock, allowing attackers with local access to potentially elevate their privileges. Defenders should be aware of the potential impact on systems requiring high security and take steps to prioritize patching.

Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 1607
CVSS
HIGH 7
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 responsible for Windows systems, especially those requiring high security, should prioritize patching this vulnerability. System administrators and security teams managing Windows environments need to be aware of the potential risks and take immediate action to patch affected systems. This vulnerability could allow authorized attackers to elevate their privileges, potentially leading to significant security

Why it matters

CVE-2026-26182 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. Defenders should prioritize patching, especially for high-security systems.

  • Potential elevation of privileges by authorized attackers
  • Increased risk for systems requiring high security
  • Need for patching to prevent local attacks

Technical summary

The vulnerability is caused by a use-after-free issue in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. This issue allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. Microsoft has released patches for this issue. The vulnerability affects Windows systems and requires local access for exploitation. The patches provided by Microsoft address the use-after-free condition, preventing attackers from exploiting this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize patching this vulnerability, especially for systems that require high security and are exposed to local attacks.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Apply patches from Microsoft for the affected Windows versions.
  • Ensure that all systems, especially those requiring high security, are updated with the latest patches.
  • Monitor systems for any suspicious activity that could be related to this vulnerability.

Evidence notes

The vulnerability is caused by a use-after-free issue in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. This issue allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2026-26182 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-26182

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

  • CVE-2026-26182 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26182

    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.