Microsoft Windows PowerShell: Security feature bypass via unnecessary privileges
Summary
A flaw in Windows PowerShell executes code with unnecessary privileges, which allows an authorized local attacker to bypass a security feature. The CVSS score is 8.8 (High), with a changed scope and high impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability. An attacker needs a local foothold, such as a standard user account, but requires no user interaction.
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 10.0.26100.9968)
- Windows 11 Version 25H2 (10.0.26200.0 to before 10.0.26200.9968)
- Windows 11 Version 26H1 (10.0.28000.0 to before 10.0.28000.3501)
- Windows 11 Version 26H2 (10.0.26300.0 to before 10.0.26300.9968)
- Windows Server 2016 incl. Server Core (10.0.14393.0 to before 10.0.14393.9688)
- Windows Server 2019 incl. 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)
- Note: version ranges are taken from the CNA record and not yet fully verified against the MSRC advisory.
Fixed in
- Install the November 2026 security update for the affected Windows versions.
- Fixed builds according to the CNA record: 10.0.14393.9688, 10.0.17763.9487, 10.0.19044.7846, 10.0.19045.7846, 10.0.22631.7711, 10.0.26100.9968, 10.0.26200.9968, 10.0.28000.3501, 10.0.26300.9968, 10.0.20348.5870.
- Windows 11 KB5132061 moves 25H2 to build 26200.9974 and 26H2 to 26300.9974.
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor workaround was identified; applying the security update is the recommended remedy.
Exploitation
- No active exploitation of this CVE has been reported at the time of research.
- No public proof-of-concept exploit was found.
Our recommendation
- Install the November 2026 Windows security update on all Windows clients and servers, and verify the installed build.
- Plan migration of Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise and Education devices to 25H2, as their support ended on 10 November 2026.
- Patch the sibling PowerShell CVEs CVE-2026-124224 and CVE-2026-124225 in the same cycle.
- Limit local administrator rights and enable PowerShell script block and module logging with central collection.
- Monitor for exploitation updates and prioritise faster patching if exploitation is reported.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Security feature bypass – Windows PowerShell
- 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, KB5135385
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-124226 msrc.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Windows message center (release health) learn.microsoft.com
- Strix: CVE-2026-124226 details www.strix.ai
- Windows Latest: November 2026 Windows 11 update www.windowslatest.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, 21:07.
Original description (NVD)
Execution with unnecessary privileges in Windows PowerShell allows an authorized attacker to bypass a security feature 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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