CVE-2026-20817
Windows Error Reporting Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges in Windows Error Reporting allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Windows Error Reporting Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges in Windows Error Reporting allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
CVE-2026-20817- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C - Weakness
- CWE-280
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-2188
Improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges in Windows Error Reporting allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
EUVD-2026-2188- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p4qh-cj7j-r785
Improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges in Windows Error Reporting allows an...
Improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges in Windows Error Reporting allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
GHSA-p4qh-cj7j-r785- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-280
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges in Windows Error Reporting allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
CVE-2026-20817- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-280
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
- microsoft windows 10 version 21h2
- microsoft windows 10 version 22h2
- microsoft windows 11 version 23h2
- microsoft windows 11 version 24h2
- microsoft windows 11 version 25h2
- microsoft windows server 2022
- microsoft windows server 2022, 23h2 edition (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server 2025
- microsoft windows server 2025 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows 10 21h2
- microsoft windows 10 22h2
- microsoft windows 11 23h2
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | oxfemale/CVE-2026-20817 | 2026-02-18 |
| PoC in GitHub | dwgth4i/CVE-2026-20817 | 2026-05-28 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| exploits, facts | PoC in GitHub | |
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-20817 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21h2, published January 13, 2026. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 5.42%, the 92nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20817
vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-20817-detection-script-eop-vulnerabilit-in-windows-error-reporting
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20817
github.com/advisories/GHSA-p4qh-cj7j-r785