Windows: Local privilege escalation via insufficiently protected credentials
Summary
A local vulnerability in the Windows eSCL Scanner component allows an authorized user with low privileges to elevate their privileges. The weakness is classified as insufficiently protected credentials (CWE-522). An attacker needs a foothold on the affected system first, so this is a post-compromise risk rather than an internet-facing one. Microsoft's CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.8 (High).
Affected
- Windows 10 Version 21H2 before 10.0.19044.7846
- Windows 10 Version 22H2 before 10.0.19045.7846
- Windows 11 Version 23H2 before 10.0.22631.7711
- Windows 11 Version 24H2 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 2022 before 10.0.20348.5870
- Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core) before 10.0.26100.33822
Note: The CVE.org record lists Windows 11 23H2 only for a limited scope, which conflicts with a third-party tracker. Confirm the list against the MSRC advisory.
Fixed in
- Fixed in the cumulative update for November 2026, per the build numbers above.
- Windows 10 Version 21H2: KB5131096 according to a third-party tracker, unverified.
- KB numbers for the other products: Unknown.
Workaround
Unknown. No mitigation was documented in the sources reviewed.
Exploitation
- No known exploitation (CISA SSVC: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total).
- No public proof of concept found.
- The CNA marked exploit maturity as unproven (E:U).
Our recommendation
- Inventory affected Windows builds, including shared workstations, terminal servers and multi-user PCs.
- Install the November 2026 security update from Microsoft's update guide or Windows Update, after verifying the KB number.
- Prioritise shared and multi-user systems within the normal monthly patch cycle.
- Review which local accounts exist on these systems and remove unneeded ones.
- Test first, if you plan to disable scanner services or drivers you do not use, because this can break printing or scanning.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Elevation of privilege – Windows eSCL Scanner
- Status on Patch Tuesday
- Neither exploited nor publicly disclosed
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation less likely
- Product family
- Windows, Windows ESU (Extended Security Updates)
- Updates (KB)
- KB5132061, KB5132043, KB5131080, KB5131077, KB5132059, KB5131096
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- MSRC Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-112801 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE.org record CVE-2026-112801 www.cve.org
- Strix CVE page CVE-2026-112801 www.strix.ai
- Senserva KB5131096 (third-party, unverified) senserva.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 11 Nov 2026, 04:16.
Original description (NVD)
Insufficiently protected credentials in Windows eSCL Scanner 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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