Microsoft SQL Server: Out-of-bounds read enables privilege escalation
Summary
Microsoft SQL Server 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2025 contains an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) that allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over the network. The CNA rates the CVSS 3.1 base score at 8.1 (High), with high attack complexity, no privileges required and no user interaction. Exposure of the SQL Server listener to untrusted networks is the main risk.
Affected
- SQL Server 2017 (GDR): 14.0.0 before 14.0.2150.2
- SQL Server 2017 for x64-based Systems (CU31): 14.0.3006.16 before 14.0.3570.2
- SQL Server 2019 (GDR): 15.0.0 before 15.0.2210.4
- SQL Server 2019 for x64-based Systems (CU32): 15.0.4003.23 before 15.0.4510.2
- SQL Server 2022 (GDR): 16.0.0 before 16.0.1220.3
- SQL Server 2022 for x64-based Systems (CU27): 16.0.4003.1 before 16.0.4315.2
- SQL Server 2025 CU10: 17.0.4006.0 before 17.0.5045.3
- SQL Server 2025 for x64-based Systems (GDR): 17.0.1050.2 before 17.0.1155.3
Fixed in
- Security update of 10 November 2026 (SQL Server 2025 GDR, KB5132748). The first unaffected build is the upper bound of each range above; confirm the exact build per branch in the MSRC advisory.
- Unknown for other branches until confirmed on MSRC.
Workaround
- Unknown. No vendor-documented workaround was found.
Exploitation
- No evidence of exploitation in the wild.
- No public proof of concept found.
- CVSS temporal vector marks exploit maturity as unproven.
- VulDB reports a remotely exploitable issue and estimates a black-market price of about USD 5k to 25k; this is a market estimate, not evidence of attacks.
- VulDB lists a base score of 10.0, which differs from the CNA score of 8.1.
Our recommendation
- Inventory all SQL Server instances and versions, including GDR and CU variants.
- Compare installed builds with the fixed builds in the MSRC advisory and apply the November 2026 update.
- Prioritize internet-facing or partner-facing instances; confirm that no SQL Server listener is reachable from the internet, including via VPN or RDP paths.
- Monitor NVD and MSRC for updates, as NVD analysis was still pending at publication.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- CVE.org CNA record www.cve.org
- MSRC Security Update Guide msrc.microsoft.com
- Microsoft KB5132748 (SQL Server 2025 GDR, November 2026) support.microsoft.com
- VulDB entry 435269 vuldb.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, 01:35.
Original description (NVD)
Out-of-bounds read in SQL Server 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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