Windows Active Directory Domain Services: Remote code execution
Summary
Incorrect authorization (CWE-863) in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) allows an authenticated attacker to execute code over the network. AD DS runs on Windows Server domain controllers and governs identity and access for domain-joined systems. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8 (High), with high impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability. Exploitation requires network access and any valid low-privilege domain account.
Affected
- Windows 10 Version 1607: before 10.0.14393.9688
- Windows 10 Version 1809: before 10.0.17763.9487
- 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 (secondary source, verify)
- Windows 11 Version 25H2: before 10.0.26200.9974 (secondary source, verify)
- Windows 11 Version 26H1: before 10.0.28000.3501
- Windows 11 Version 26H2: before 10.0.26300.9974
- Windows Server 2016 (including Server Core): before 10.0.14393.9688
- Windows Server 2019 (including Server Core): before 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows Server 2022: before 10.0.20348.5870
- Windows Server 2025: not listed in the sources reviewed; verify in the MSRC product table
Fixed in
- Install the Microsoft security update of November 2026 (Patch Tuesday) for the affected versions listed above, or a later build.
- Verify the exact KB numbers in the MSRC Security Update Guide.
Workaround
Unknown.
Exploitation
- Not reported as exploited in the wild at the time of writing.
- CISA SSVC: exploitation none, not automatable, total technical impact.
- Microsoft's exploitability assessment: "Exploitation More Likely" (secondary source).
- No public proof-of-concept code found in the sources reviewed; this does not prove none exists.
Our recommendation
- Prioritise patching for all domain controllers (including RODCs, virtual machines and backup systems) and verify AD health afterwards.
- Restrict who holds domain accounts and review privileged accounts.
- Monitor domain controllers for unusual authentication and code execution activity.
- Check the MSRC page for the complete product table, including Windows Server 2025.
- Re-check exploitation status (for example CISA KEV) in the coming weeks.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Critical
- Impact
- Remote code execution – Active Directory Domain Services
- Status on Patch Tuesday
- Neither exploited nor publicly disclosed
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation more likely
- Product family
- Windows, Windows ESU (Extended Security Updates)
- Updates (KB)
- KB5131291, KB5131085, KB5131096, KB5131090, KB5131087, KB5132061
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-118146 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record: CVE-2026-118146 www.cve.org
- Strix: CVE-2026-118146 www.strix.ai
- Trinetriops: November 2026 Patch Tuesday trinetriops.com
- Security Boulevard: November 2026 Patch Tuesday securityboulevard.com
- Cybersecurity News: November 2026 Patch Tuesday cybersecuritynews.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 10 Nov 2026, 22:28.
Original description (NVD)
Incorrect authorization in Active Directory Domain Services allows an authorized attacker to execute code over a network.
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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