Microsoft Windows Device Association Service: Use-after-free privilege escalation
Summary
A use-after-free flaw (CWE-416) in the Windows Device Association Service allows an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges. The attacker needs a low-privileged local account and the bug is hard to trigger, with no user interaction required. The risk matters mainly as a second step after an attacker has already gained a foothold, for example through phishing or a stolen password.
Affected
- 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
- 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 23H2: 10.0.22631.7711
- Windows 11 24H2: 10.0.26100.9974
- Windows 11 25H2: 10.0.26200.9974
- Windows 11 26H1: 10.0.28000.3501
- Windows 11 26H2: 10.0.26300.9974
- Windows Server 2025: 10.0.26100.33822
Verify the fixed build per product in the MSRC update guide. The KB mapping is not confirmed.
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor workaround identified.
- Limit local accounts and remove unnecessary local admin rights as general hardening.
Exploitation
- No known exploitation in the wild. CISA SSVC: exploitation none.
- Microsoft temporal score E:U: exploit code maturity unproven.
- No public proof of concept found.
Our recommendation
- Install the November 2026 Windows security update on affected builds, prioritising shared workstations, terminal servers and machines with local admin accounts.
- Confirm affected builds and KB numbers in the MSRC update guide before rollout.
- Restrict local accounts and admin rights and monitor endpoints for unusual service crashes or privilege changes.
- Recheck the NVD entry and the CISA KEV status.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Elevation of privilege – Windows Device Association Service
- Status on Patch Tuesday
- Neither exploited nor publicly disclosed
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation less likely
- Product family
- Windows
- Updates (KB)
- KB5131087, KB5132061, KB5132043, KB5131080, KB5131077, KB5132059
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-119844 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record: CVE-2026-119844 www.cve.org
- Senserva: KB5132059 (aggregator) senserva.com
- Rescana: Microsoft Patch Tuesday November 2026 www.rescana.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, 08:42.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in Windows Device Association Service 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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