CVE-2024-26177 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). It is classified under CWE-200, indicating an exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor. The vulnerability resides within the Windows kernel, which is a critical component responsible for managing system resources and enforcing security boundaries. Specifically, this flaw allows a local attacker with limited privileges (PR:L) to gain unauthorized access to sensitive kernel information without requiring any user interaction (UI:N). The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have some level of access to the affected system to exploit the vulnerability. The vulnerability does not impact system integrity or availability but has a high impact on confidentiality (C:H/I:N/A:N). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5, reflecting a medium severity level. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability could potentially allow attackers to gather sensitive kernel data that may facilitate further privilege escalation or other attacks, although direct exploitation for system compromise is not indicated. The scope of the vulnerability is unchanged (S:U), meaning it affects only the vulnerable component without extending to other components or systems. The vulnerability requires limited privileges but no user interaction, which lowers the barrier for exploitation once local access is obtained. Overall, this vulnerability represents a significant information disclosure risk within an older Windows 10 version that remains in use in various environments.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive kernel information could have several implications. Although the vulnerability does not directly allow system takeover or denial of service, the leaked information could be leveraged by attackers to develop more sophisticated local privilege escalation exploits or bypass security controls. This is particularly concerning for organizations with legacy systems still running Windows 10 Version 1809, which is past mainstream support and may not receive regular security updates. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government agencies that rely on these systems could face increased risk of targeted attacks. The confidentiality breach could lead to exposure of sensitive operational data or security mechanisms, undermining trust and compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR. Additionally, attackers gaining kernel-level information might evade detection by security monitoring tools, complicating incident response. Since exploitation requires local access, the threat is heightened in environments with weak internal network segmentation or where endpoint security is insufficient, such as in remote work setups or shared workstations.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading or patching affected systems, although no official patch links are currently provided; monitoring Microsoft’s security advisories for updates is critical. In the interim, organizations should enforce strict access controls to limit local user privileges and restrict administrative rights to reduce the risk of local exploitation. Implementing robust endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions can help identify unusual kernel-level activities indicative of exploitation attempts. Network segmentation should be enhanced to isolate critical systems and limit lateral movement opportunities for attackers with local access. Regularly auditing and hardening user accounts, especially on legacy systems, will reduce the attack surface. Employing application whitelisting and disabling unnecessary services can further limit potential attack vectors. Additionally, organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments focused on legacy Windows 10 deployments and plan migration strategies to supported Windows versions to ensure ongoing security. Finally, educating users about the risks of local access compromise and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms (e.g., multifactor authentication) will help mitigate exploitation opportunities.