CVE-2026-26165: CWE-416: Use After Free in Microsoft Windows 11 version 22H3
Use after free in Windows Shell allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
This vulnerability (CVE-2026-26165) involves a use-after-free condition in the Windows Shell on Windows 11 version 22H3 (build 10.0.22631.0). Exploitation requires local access with limited privileges and no user interaction is needed. Successful exploitation could lead to elevation of privileges, granting the attacker higher system rights. Microsoft has published an official fix to remediate this vulnerability.
Potential Impact
An authorized local attacker could exploit this use-after-free vulnerability to elevate their privileges on the affected Windows 11 system. This could allow the attacker to execute code or perform actions with higher privileges than originally granted. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time.
Mitigation Recommendations
An official fix is available from Microsoft. It is recommended to apply the security update provided in the Microsoft advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-26165 to remediate this vulnerability.
CVE-2026-26165: CWE-416: Use After Free in Microsoft Windows 11 version 22H3
Description
Use after free in Windows Shell allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.0high
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability (CVE-2026-26165) involves a use-after-free condition in the Windows Shell on Windows 11 version 22H3 (build 10.0.22631.0). Exploitation requires local access with limited privileges and no user interaction is needed. Successful exploitation could lead to elevation of privileges, granting the attacker higher system rights. Microsoft has published an official fix to remediate this vulnerability.
Potential Impact
An authorized local attacker could exploit this use-after-free vulnerability to elevate their privileges on the affected Windows 11 system. This could allow the attacker to execute code or perform actions with higher privileges than originally granted. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time.
Mitigation Recommendations
An official fix is available from Microsoft. It is recommended to apply the security update provided in the Microsoft advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-26165 to remediate this vulnerability.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- microsoft
- Date Reserved
- 2026-02-11T18:33:57.776Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- official-fix
- Vendor Advisory Urls
- [{"url":"https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-26165","vendor":"Microsoft"}]
Threat ID: 69de7a1882d89c981fd6a67d
Added to database: 4/14/2026, 5:32:08 PM
Last enriched: 5/19/2026, 10:34:39 AM
Last updated: 5/31/2026, 5:35:49 AM
Views: 40
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