Windows Kernel Transaction Manager: Use after free enables privilege escalation
Summary
A use-after-free flaw (CWE-416) in the Windows Kernel Transaction Manager (KTM) allows an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges. Exploitation requires a valid low-privilege account on the system and a high attack complexity. The flaw is not remotely exploitable. Under the CNA record, an attacker with a foothold could gain SYSTEM rights.
Affected
- Windows 10 Version 1607 and Windows Server 2016 (including Server Core): before 10.0.14393.9688
- Windows 10 Version 1809 and Windows Server 2019 (including Server Core): 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
- 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
Fixed in
- Security update from Microsoft's November 2026 Patch Tuesday, bringing the builds listed above to the fixed versions.
- KB numbers per build: Unknown.
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor-published workaround found.
Exploitation
- No public exploit known, according to VulDB.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, not automatable, total technical impact.
- Not listed in the CISA KEV catalog according to a third-party mirror (not confirmed against the CISA catalog).
- No in-the-wild exploitation found so far.
Our recommendation
- Install the November 2026 Windows security update on all affected systems, prioritizing multi-user terminal servers, shared workstations and systems where untrusted users or software run.
- Check the build numbers of older branches (Windows 10 1607, 1809, 21H2) for support status and ESU enrolment.
- Review local accounts and restrict unnecessary low-privilege access.
- Monitor for unusual privilege changes and re-check CISA KEV and exploit sources in the coming days.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Elevation of privilege – Kernel Transaction Manager
- 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
- CVE.org record CVE-2026-119397 www.cve.org
- Microsoft Security Update Guide CVE-2026-119397 msrc.microsoft.com
- VulDB CVE-2026-119397 vuldb.com
- BleepingComputer: November 2026 Patch Tuesday www.bleepingcomputer.com
- Strix mirror CVE-2026-119397 (third-party) 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, 08:48.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in Kernel Transaction Manager 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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