Windows DHCP Client: Double free allows privilege escalation
Summary
A double free in the Windows DHCP Client allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges. The attacker must already have a low-privileged local account on the target and be on the same local network segment. Exposure is mainly on Windows 11 endpoints and servers on shared or untrusted networks, not on internet-facing systems.
Affected
- 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 (per third-party aggregator, not yet confirmed by MSRC)
- Windows Server 2025 and Server Core installation: 10.0.26100.0 to before 10.0.26100.33822 (per CVE record excerpt, not yet confirmed by MSRC)
- Windows Server 2016, 2019 and 2022: Unknown.
Fixed in
- Windows 11 24H2: build 10.0.26100.9974 or later
- Windows 11 25H2: build 10.0.26200.9974 or later
- Windows 11 26H1: build 10.0.28000.3501 or later
- Windows 11 26H2: build 10.0.26300.9974 or later (to be confirmed on MSRC)
- Windows Server 2025: build 10.0.26100.33822 or later (to be confirmed on MSRC)
- KB numbers: Unknown.
Workaround
Unknown.
Exploitation
- The CVE.org record rates exploit code maturity as unproven (E:U).
- No entry for this CVE was found in the CISA KEV catalog at the time of research.
- No public proof of concept was found. This does not prove that none exists.
Our recommendation
- Install the Windows security update that contains the fixed build as part of the next update cycle, and prioritise laptops that move between networks.
- Confirm the fixed builds and the affected server editions on the MSRC advisory before rollout.
- Isolate guest Wi-Fi and IoT networks from the corporate LAN.
- Monitor for unusual DHCP traffic and for privilege escalation on endpoints.
- Check CVE-2026-70250 separately: it is a related DHCP Client use-after-free with a CVSS score of 8.8.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Update Guide: CVE-2026-96115 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE.org record CVE-2026-96115 www.cve.org
- Strix AI: CVE-2026-96115 www.strix.ai
- CISA KEV alert, October 2026 (no entry for this CVE found) www.cisa.gov
- Vulners: CVE-2026-70250 (related DHCP Client flaw) 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, 01:47.
Original description (NVD)
Double free in Windows DHCP Client 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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