CVE-2026-20859
Windows Kernel-Mode Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Use after free in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers 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 Kernel-Mode Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Use after free in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
CVE-2026-20859- 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-416
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-2168
Use after free in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
EUVD-2026-2168- 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-fhp4-cg6g-8v4w
Use after free in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges...
Use after free in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
GHSA-fhp4-cg6g-8v4w- 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-416
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Use after free in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- Record
CVE-2026-20859- 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-416
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-20859 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24h2, published January 13, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.48%, the 41st percentile. No source names a fixed version.