Microsoft Windows Portable Device MTP Driver: Elevation of privilege via heap-based buffer overflow
Summary
The Windows Portable Device (WPD) MTP driver, which handles phones, cameras and similar USB-connected devices, contains a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122). An attacker with physical access to a device can exploit it to elevate privileges, for example from a standard user to administrator. Exploitation requires no privileges and no user interaction, but the attacker must have physical access to the machine.
Affected
- Windows 10 Version 1607 (10.0.14393.0 before 10.0.14393.9612)
- Windows 10 Version 1809 (before 10.0.17763.9376)
- Windows 10 Version 21H2 and 22H2 (before 10.0.19045.7807)
- Windows 11 Version 23H2, 24H2, 25H2, 26H1 and 26H2 (see MSRC for exact builds)
- Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2 and 2016 (including Server Core installations)
Fixed in
- Install the Microsoft security update of October 13, 2026 for your Windows version.
- Windows 10 Version 1607: fixed in 10.0.14393.9612 or later, if still supported. Verify the KB on the MSRC page.
- Exact KB numbers per build: see the MSRC Security Update Guide.
Workaround
- No official workaround known.
- Restrict installation of unmanaged USB devices with device installation policies.
- Enforce screen locks and full-disk encryption.
Exploitation
- In the wild: Unknown. No CISA KEV entry found.
- Public proof-of-concept: Unknown.
- Microsoft and CISA SSVC: Exploitation none, not automatable, total technical impact.
- EPSS score 0.00417 (low predicted exploitation probability).
Our recommendation
- Install the October 2026 Windows update on all affected systems.
- Identify Windows 10 Version 1607 systems and plan their upgrade or replacement, as they may be out of support.
- Enforce disk encryption, screen locks and controls for USB devices, especially on laptops and shared devices.
- Verify the affected builds and KB numbers on the MSRC page before rollout.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday October 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Elevation of privilege – Windows Portable Device MTP Driver
- Status on Patch Tuesday
- Neither exploited nor publicly disclosed
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation less likely
- Product family
- Windows, Windows ESU (Extended Security Updates)
- Updates (KB)
- KB5126657, KB5126655, KB5126653, KB5126646, KB5127646, KB5127648
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- MSRC Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-102206 msrc.microsoft.com
- NVD record via Vulners: CVE-2026-102206 vulners.com
- CVE List record via Vulners: CVE-2026-102206 vulners.com
- Strix: CVE-2026-102206 www.strix.ai
- PT-2026-111916 via Vulners (fix mapping) vulners.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 4 Nov 2026, 22:12.
Original description (NVD)
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Portable Device MTP Driver allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges with a physical attack.
NVD references (1)
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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