Product:
Windows Kernel
Summary
A double free vulnerability in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. This can lead to significant security risks as it may enable unauthorized access to sensitive system resources. The vulnerability has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Details
| Severity | Base Score | CVE |
|---|---|---|
| HIGH | 7.8 | CVE-2026-26179 |
Exploitation
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker with local access can manipulate memory management in the Windows Kernel. By triggering the double free condition, the attacker can gain elevated privileges, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code with higher permissions than intended. This requires low complexity and no user interaction, making it a serious threat.
Affected Products
- Windows Kernel: The core component of the Windows operating system that manages system resources and hardware interactions.
Mitigation
To mitigate this vulnerability, users should ensure that their systems are updated with the latest security patches provided by Microsoft. Regularly applying updates and following best security practices can help protect against potential exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.