CVE-2026-96323: CWE-416: Use After Free in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H2
Description
CVE-2026-96323 is a use-after-free vulnerability in Windows Update on Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H2. It allows an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges. The vulnerability has a high severity rating and has been officially fixed by Microsoft.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.0high
Affected software
Microsoft
Windows 10 Version 21H2
Microsoft
Windows 10 Version 22H2
Microsoft
Windows 11 version 23H2
Microsoft
Windows 11 Version 23H2
Microsoft
Windows 11 Version 24H2
Microsoft
Windows 11 Version 25H2
Microsoft
Windows 11 version 26H1
Microsoft
Windows 11 Version 26H2
Microsoft
Windows Server 2022
Microsoft
Windows Server 2025
Microsoft
Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2026-96323 and classified under CWE-416 (Use After Free), affects multiple builds of Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H2. It involves a use-after-free condition in the Windows Update component that could be exploited by an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.0, indicating high severity, with attack vector local, high attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Microsoft has released an official fix for this vulnerability.
Potential Impact
An authorized local attacker could exploit this use-after-free vulnerability in Windows Update to elevate their privileges, potentially gaining higher system rights. This could lead to full system compromise including confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts as indicated by the CVSS metrics.
Mitigation Recommendations
Microsoft has released an official fix for this vulnerability. It is recommended to apply the security updates provided by Microsoft as detailed in their advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96323. No additional mitigations are required beyond applying the official patch.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- microsoft
- Date Reserved
- 2026-09-22T22:31:49.523Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- official-fix
- Vendor Advisory Urls
- [{"url":"https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96323","vendor":"Microsoft"}]
Threat ID: 6ace857b2cdf04f656a00498
Added to database: 10/13/2026, 19:24:43 UTC
Last enriched: 10/14/2026, 00:18:38 UTC
Last updated: 10/14/2026, 00:18:38 UTC
Views: 2
Community Reviews
0 reviewsCrowdsource mitigation strategies, share intel context, and vote on the most helpful responses. Sign in to add your voice and help keep defenders ahead.
Want to contribute mitigation steps or threat intel context? Sign in or create an account to join the community discussion.
Actions
Updates to AI analysis require Pro Console access. Upgrade inside Console → Billing.
External Links
Need more coverage?
Upgrade to Pro Console for AI refresh and higher limits.
For incident response and remediation, OffSeq services can help resolve threats faster.
Latest Threats
Check if your credentials are on the dark web
Instant breach scanning across billions of leaked records. Free tier available.