Windows Bluetooth A2DP driver: Heap-based buffer overflow allows privilege escalation
Summary
A heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows Bluetooth A2DP driver allows an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges. The attack requires an account with low privileges and a position within Bluetooth range of the device. Microsoft has released fixes in the November 2026 Windows updates.
Affected
- Windows 10 Version 1809: before 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows 10 Version 21H2: before 10.0.19044.7846
- Windows 10 Version 22H2: before 10.0.19045.7846
- Windows 11 Version 23H2: before 10.0.22631.7711
- Windows 11 Version 24H2: before 10.0.26100.9974
- Windows 11 Version 25H2: before 10.0.26200.9974
- Windows 11 Version 26H1: before 10.0.28000.3501
- Windows 11 Version 26H2: before 10.0.26300.9974
- Windows Server 2019 (including Server Core): before 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows Server 2022: before 10.0.20348.5870
- Windows Server 2025 (including Server Core): before 10.0.26100.33822
Fixed in
Fixed in the November 2026 Windows security updates. Install the build listed for each version above or later.
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor-documented workaround found.
- Turn off Bluetooth on servers and on laptops and desktops where it is not needed.
- Restrict pairing to known devices.
Exploitation
- The CVE record's temporal metrics mark exploit code maturity as unproven (E:U).
- No public proof of concept and no in-the-wild exploitation found at the time of research.
- No CISA KEV entry found at the time of research.
- NVD status was still Awaiting Analysis.
Our recommendation
- Install the November 2026 Windows updates, starting with laptops and mobile staff devices.
- Check the fleet for Windows 10 1809, 21H2 and 22H2 and confirm extended support status.
- Verify the build numbers against the Microsoft Security Update Guide before rollout.
- Turn off Bluetooth where it is not needed and monitor for new exploitation reports.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Elevation of privilege – Windows Bluetooth A2DP driver
- 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, KB5131090, KB5131096, KB5131080, KB5131077, KB5132061
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-88187 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record CVE-2026-88187 (CVE.org) www.cve.org
- Senserva KB 5132059 senserva.com
- Strix CVE-2026-88187 (secondary mirror) www.strix.ai
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, 01:50.
Original description (NVD)
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Bluetooth A2DP driver allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over an adjacent 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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