Windows Connected User Experiences and Telemetry: Use-after-free privilege escalation

Summary

A use-after-free vulnerability in the Windows Connected User Experiences and Telemetry component allows an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges. The attacker needs a valid low-privileged user account on the affected system and local access, so the flaw is not directly reachable from the internet. If exploited, the CVSS vector rates the impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability as high, which could mean full control of the host.

Affected

• Windows 10 Version 1607 and Windows Server 2016 (including Server Core): builds before 10.0.14393.9688
• Windows 10 Version 1809 and Windows Server 2019 (including Server Core): builds before 10.0.17763.9487
• Windows 10 Version 21H2: builds before 10.0.19044.7846
• Windows 10 Version 22H2: builds before 10.0.19045.7846 (per third-party aggregator; CVE record entry truncated)
• Windows 11 Version 23H2: builds before 10.0.22631.7711
• Windows 11 Version 24H2: builds before 10.0.26100.9974
• Windows 11 Version 25H2: builds before 10.0.26200.9974
• Windows 11 Version 26H1: builds before 10.0.28000.3501
• Windows 11 Version 26H2: builds before 10.0.26300.9974
• Windows Server 2022: builds before 10.0.20348.5870 (per CVE record; the aggregator lists the same)
• Windows Server 2025: not listed in the primary source; the aggregator lists 10.0.26100.33822, which is unverified

Fixed in

• Fixed builds as listed above; verify against the MSRC advisory before rollout, as the sources do not fully agree.
• Patch released with the November 2026 Patch Tuesday, per the CVE record.
• KB numbers: unknown.

Workaround

Unknown. No workaround was found in the sources; rely on patching.

Exploitation

• No evidence of exploitation in the wild found for this CVE; Microsoft rates exploit maturity as unproven (E:U).
• No public proof of concept found.
• CISA SSVC: exploitation none, not automatable, total technical impact.
• Similar Connected User Experiences use-after-free flaws from September and October 2026 show no exploitation claims in the sources.

Our recommendation

• Install the November 2026 security update on all affected Windows 10, 11 and Server systems, prioritising shared workstations, terminal and RDP servers, and hosts where users are not administrators.
• Verify the fixed build against the MSRC advisory before rollout.
• Limit local interactive logons and standard user privileges where possible.
• Keep endpoint detection and response (EDR) enabled and monitor for suspicious local privilege escalation.
• Note the CVSS discrepancy: CNA score 7.0, VulDB 8.8. Use the CNA score for prioritisation, and treat the risk as medium-high.

Public exploits iAttack code is publicly available (PoC on GitHub, Metasploit or Exploit-DB).

PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.

Research sources

• CVE.org record www.cve.org
• Microsoft Security Update Guide (not verified directly) msrc.microsoft.com
• Strix.ai (secondary) www.strix.ai
• VulDB vuldb.com
• Rapid7 November 2026 Patch Tuesday www.rapid7.com
• Vulners PT-2026-87284 (similar Connected User Experiences flaws) 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, 07:43.