PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief
CVE-2026-61348 Microsoft CVE debrief
The CVE-2026-61348 vulnerability is a use-after-free issue in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. This vulnerability allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 7, indicating a high severity level. System administrators and users of Windows systems, especially those with high-privilege accounts, should be aware of this vulnerability and take immediate action to patch affected systems. Affected systems should be patched immediately. The NVD entry is currently Analyzed. Microsoft has provided a patch for this vulnerability.
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1607
- CVSS
- HIGH 7
- CISA KEV
- Not listed in stored evidence
- Original CVE published
- 2026-08-11
- Original CVE updated
- 2026-08-16
- Advisory published
- 2026-08-11
- Advisory updated
- 2026-08-16
Who should care
System administrators and users of Windows systems, especially those with high-privilege accounts, should be aware of this vulnerability and take immediate action to patch affected systems. Affected systems should be patched immediately. The NVD entry is currently Analyzed. Microsoft has provided a patch for this vulnerability. Users with high-privilege accounts are at a higher risk of exploitation. It is essential to review and apply the patch as soon as possible.
Technical summary
The CVE-2026-61348 vulnerability is a use-after-free issue in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. This vulnerability allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 7, indicating a high severity level. Affected systems should be patched immediately.
Defensive priority
This vulnerability allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally, which is a high-risk impact. Affected systems should be patched immediately.
Recommended defensive actions
- Apply the patch provided by Microsoft
- Ensure all affected Windows systems are updated
- Monitor for any suspicious activity related to this vulnerability
- Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified
- Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review
Evidence notes
The CVE-2026-61348 record indicates a use-after-free vulnerability in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. This issue allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. The vulnerability has been analyzed by the NVD and Microsoft has provided a patch.
Sources and references
Verified primary and authoritative sources
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CVE-2026-61348 CVE Program record
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-61348
CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.
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CVE-2026-61348 NVD vulnerability detail
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-61348
NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.
Supplemental references
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Mitigation or vendor reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-61348
[email protected] - Patch, Vendor Advisory
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.