CVE-2026-97790: CWE-59: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') in Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2
Description
CVE-2026-97790 is a medium severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2 involving improper link resolution before file access in the Windows Container Isolation FS Filter Driver (unionfs.sys). This flaw allows an authorized local attacker to perform tampering by exploiting link following behavior. An official fix is available from Microsoft.
CVSS v3.1
Score 5.5medium
Affected software
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 (CWE-59) affects the Windows Container Isolation FS Filter Driver (unionfs.sys) in Windows 11 Version 24H2. It arises from improper link resolution before file access, commonly known as 'link following'. An authorized attacker with local access can exploit this flaw to tamper with files or system state. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), reflecting local attack vector with low complexity and no user interaction required. Microsoft has published an official fix for this issue.
Potential Impact
An authorized local attacker can exploit this vulnerability to tamper with files or system components by leveraging improper link resolution. There is no direct confidentiality or availability impact reported. The impact is limited to integrity compromise through local tampering.
Mitigation Recommendations
An official fix is available from Microsoft. Users and administrators should apply the security update referenced in the Microsoft advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97790 to remediate this vulnerability.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- microsoft
- Date Reserved
- 2026-09-25T04:32:19.232Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- official-fix
- Vendor Advisory Urls
- [{"url":"https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97790","vendor":"Microsoft"}]
Threat ID: 6ace85942cdf04f656a018e8
Added to database: 10/13/2026, 19:25:08 UTC
Last enriched: 10/13/2026, 22:49:28 UTC
Last updated: 10/14/2026, 03:28:18 UTC
Views: 4
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