Microsoft Windows Search Component: Local privilege escalation via path traversal
Summary
A absolute path traversal flaw (CWE-36) in the Microsoft Windows Search Component allows an authorized local user to elevate privileges. The CVE record also lists missing authentication (CWE-306). The attacker needs a valid local account and cannot exploit the flaw remotely. CISA SSVC rates exploitation as none and automation as not possible, and no public exploit has been reported.
Affected
- 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
- 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 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
- Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core): 10.0.26100.0 to before 10.0.26100.33822
Fixed in
- Windows 10 1809: 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows 10 21H2: 10.0.19044.7846
- Windows 10 22H2: 10.0.19045.7846
- 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 2019: 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows Server 2022: 10.0.20348.5870
- Windows Server 2025: 10.0.26100.33822
The fixed builds are taken from the CVE record; verify them against the MSRC advisory.
Workaround
Unknown.
Exploitation
- No evidence of exploitation in the wild was found at the time of writing.
- CISA SSVC: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
- The CVSS temporal metrics (E:U) indicate that no exploit code was known at publication.
- NVD analysis was still pending (Awaiting Analysis).
Our recommendation
- Install the November 2026 cumulative updates on all affected Windows clients and servers.
- Check the MSRC advisory to confirm the fixed build for each platform in use.
- Prioritise multi-user systems, terminal servers and RDP hosts.
- Review local accounts and restrict interactive logon to servers and shared systems.
- Monitor NVD and the CISA KEV catalogue for updates.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Elevation of privilege – Microsoft Windows Search Component
- Status on Patch Tuesday
- Neither exploited nor publicly disclosed
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation less likely
- Product family
- Windows, Windows ESU (Extended Security Updates)
- Updates (KB)
- KB5131085, KB5131096, KB5131090, KB5131087, KB5132061, KB5132043
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Response Center: CVE-2026-119954 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record CVE-2026-119954 (CVE.org) www.cve.org
- Strix: CVE-2026-119954 (secondary, unverified) www.strix.ai
- Vulners: CVE-2026-68896 (same title and description, duplicate status unclear) vulners.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, 03:35.
Original description (NVD)
Absolute path traversal in Microsoft Windows Search Component 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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