Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform: Heap-based buffer overflow
Summary
A heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP), Microsoft's software rasterizer used for Direct3D rendering, allows an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges, and the attack complexity is high. Per the CVSS vector, the impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is high, and a successful attack can lead to SYSTEM rights.
Affected
- Windows 10 Version 1809 (before 10.0.17763.9376)
- Windows 10 Version 21H2 (before 10.0.19044.7807)
- Windows 10 Version 22H2 (before 10.0.19045.7807)
- Windows 11 Version 23H2 (before 10.0.22631.7652)
- Windows 11 Version 24H2 (before 10.0.26100.9711)
- Windows 11 Version 25H2 (before 10.0.26200.9711)
- Windows 11 Version 26H1 (before 10.0.28000.3231)
- Windows 11 Version 26H2 (before 10.0.26300.9711)
- Windows Server 2019, including Server Core (before 10.0.17763.9376)
- Windows Server 2022 (before 10.0.20348.5761)
- Windows Server 2025, including Server Core (before 10.0.26100.33650)
- Affected list per CNA record; verify the complete list on MSRC.
Fixed in
- Install the November 2026 security update or later for the affected Windows builds listed above.
- Exact KB numbers: Unknown. Confirm the cumulative update on the MSRC Security Update Guide before rollout.
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor mitigation or workaround is known. Patching is the realistic control.
Exploitation
- No evidence of exploitation in the wild or public proof-of-concept code found at the time of research.
- Microsoft temporal vector E:U (unproven exploit maturity).
- CISA SSVC: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
- CISA KEV status: Unknown.
Our recommendation
- Patch affected Windows 10 and Windows Server systems in the next regular cycle, and prioritize shared, multi-user, RDP or terminal servers and endpoints with weak application control.
- Verify the exact build list and KB numbers on MSRC.
- Keep endpoint protection and least-privilege policies in place until patched.
- Monitor for exploitation updates and for privilege escalation indicators on endpoints.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Elevation of privilege – Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform
- Status on Patch Tuesday
- Neither exploited nor publicly disclosed
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation less likely
- Product family
- Windows, Windows ESU (Extended Security Updates)
- Updates (KB)
- KB5127646, KB5126651, KB5126657, KB5126655, KB5126653, KB5127648
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-118280 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record: CVE-2026-118280 www.cve.org
- Strix: CVE-2026-118280 www.strix.ai
- Tenable: Microsoft November 2026 Patch Tuesday www.tenable.com
- MSRC: sibling WARP flaw CVE-2026-26178 msrc.microsoft.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, 03:56.
Original description (NVD)
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform 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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