Microsoft Windows Enhanced Storage: Heap-based buffer overflow
Summary
The Windows Enhanced Storage component, which supports hardware-encrypted drives, contains a heap-based buffer overflow. An attacker with physical access and a low-privilege account can execute code, which could fully compromise confidentiality, integrity and availability. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.6 (Medium). The CVE record is only days old and may still change.
Affected
- Windows 10 Version 1607: 10.0.14393.0 to before 10.0.14393.9688
- Windows 10 Version 1809: 10.0.17763.0 to before 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows 10 Version 21H2: 10.0.19044.0 to before 10.0.19044.7846
- Windows 10 Version 22H2: 10.0.19045.0 to before 10.0.19045.7846
- Windows 11 Version 23H2: 10.0.22631.0 to before 10.0.22631.7711
- Windows 11 Version 24H2: 10.0.26100.0 to before 10.0.26100.9974 (per CNA record; a research source lists 10.0.26100.33822, verify)
- Windows 11 Version 25H2: 10.0.26200.0 to before 10.0.26200.9974
- Windows 11 Version 26H1: 10.0.28000.0 to before 10.0.28000.3501
- Windows 11 Version 26H2: 10.0.26300.0 to before 10.0.26300.9974
- Windows Server 2016 (including Server Core): 10.0.14393.0 to before 10.0.14393.9688
- Windows Server 2019 (including Server Core): 10.0.17763.0 to before 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows Server 2022: 10.0.20348.0 to before 10.0.20348.5870
Fixed in
- Install the security update for the affected Windows version from Microsoft's Security Update Guide.
- Fixed builds are listed in the CNA record as the versions above; KB article numbers: Unknown.
Workaround
- No vendor workaround known.
- Patching is the fix.
Exploitation
- CISA SSVC: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
- No known exploitation in the wild as of the sources checked.
- No public proof of concept found; this does not prove none exists.
- Not listed in CISA KEV as of the sources checked.
Our recommendation
- Apply the November 2026 security update to all affected Windows systems through normal patch management.
- Prioritise laptops and workstations that leave the office, are shared, or hold hardware-encrypted drives.
- Verify fixed build numbers and KB articles in Microsoft's Security Update Guide before deployment.
- Monitor the CVE record for changes to affected products or exploitation status.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Remote code execution – Windows Enhanced Storage
- Status on Patch Tuesday
- Neither exploited nor publicly disclosed
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation less 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-2026-119394 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record CVE-2026-119394 (CNA: Microsoft) www.cve.org
- Strix: CVE-2026-119394 www.strix.ai
- Senserva KB 5131085 senserva.com
- Microsoft Learn: Encrypted hard drive learn.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, 11:43.
Original description (NVD)
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Enhanced Storage allows an authorized attacker to execute code 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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