Windows Print Spooler Components: Use-after-free leads to local privilege escalation
Summary
Microsoft Windows Print Spooler Components contains a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) that allows an authorized local user to elevate privileges. The attacker needs local access and low privileges, and exploitation is rated as high complexity. Successful exploitation could give the attacker higher privileges on the affected system, typically after an initial compromise such as phishing or credential theft. Microsoft rates the issue as Important, and no exploitation was known at publication.
Affected
- Windows 11 Version 24H2 (x64 and ARM64): before 10.0.26100.9974
- Windows 11 Version 25H2: before 10.0.26200.9974
- Windows 11 Version 26H1: before 10.0.28000.3501
- Windows 11 Version 26H2: before 10.0.26300.9974
- Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core installation): before 10.0.26100.33822
- Windows 10 and older Windows Server releases: not listed in the CNA record; status unknown
Fixed in
- Install the Windows cumulative update released on 10 November 2026 (Patch Tuesday) for the affected builds.
- No standalone hotfix found.
- Per-build KB article numbers: Unknown.
Workaround
Unknown. No Microsoft-documented mitigation specific to this CVE was found. Disabling the Print Spooler service on systems that do not print is general hardening and is not confirmed as a mitigation for this CVE.
Exploitation
- Microsoft marks the vulnerability as not exploited at publication.
- No public proof of concept or in-the-wild exploitation was found.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, not automatable, total technical impact.
Our recommendation
- Install the November 2026 cumulative update on all affected Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 hosts, prioritising multi-user, terminal/RDS and print servers.
- Verify the installed build on each host and check the MSRC page for KB numbers and the status of Windows 10 and older server releases.
- Disable the Print Spooler on servers and workstations that do not need printing.
- Monitor this record for NVD analysis and changes in exploitation status.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Response Center: CVE-2026-105567 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record CVE-2026-105567 (CVE.org) www.cve.org
- Third-party CVE mirror CVE-2026-105567 (unverified against NVD) www.strix.ai
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 11 Nov 2026, 09:36.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in Windows Print Spooler Components allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
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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