Windows Remote Desktop Client: Privilege escalation via untrusted search path
Summary
The Windows Remote Desktop Client contains an untrusted search path weakness (CWE-426) that allows privilege escalation over the network. An unauthorized attacker can gain higher privileges on an affected system, with high impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability according to the CVSS vector. User interaction is required, so the main exposure is workstations where a user connects to, or opens content from, an attacker-controlled host. The CVSS 8.8 score was provided in the input; the NVD analysis was still pending at the time of review.
Affected
- Windows 11 version 23H2: 10.0.22631.0 to before 10.0.22631.7711
Summary:
- Windows 11 version 24H2: 10.0.26100.0 to before 10.0.26100.9974
- 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 2025 (including Server Core): 10.0.26100.0 to before 10.0.26100.33822
Fixed in
- Windows 11 version 23H2: 10.0.22631.7711 or later
- Windows 11 version 24H2: 10.0.26100.9974 or later
- Windows 11 version 25H2: 10.0.26200.9974 or later
- Windows 11 version 26H1: 10.0.28000.3501 or later
- Windows 11 version 26H2: 10.0.26300.9974 or later
- Windows Server 2025: 10.0.26100.33822 or later
KB numbers: Unknown.
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor-confirmed workaround was found in the sources reviewed.
Exploitation
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, not automatable, total technical impact.
- No public exploitation or proof-of-concept code was identified in the sources reviewed.
Our recommendation
- Install the Microsoft Windows update for the affected builds on workstations and servers as soon as possible.
- Until patched, do not open .rdp files from untrusted sources and avoid connecting to RDP hosts you do not control.
- Restrict write access to folders from which the Remote Desktop Client loads files.
- Verify the fixed builds and KB numbers in the MSRC advisory and monitor the NVD and CISA KEV entries.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Response Center: CVE-2026-119839 msrc.microsoft.com
- Microsoft MSRC advisory: CVE-2026-50330 (related RDP client bug) msrc.microsoft.com
- Zero Day Initiative: June 2026 security update review www.zerodayinitiative.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, 20:27.
Original description (NVD)
Untrusted search path in Remote Desktop Client allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges 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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