Microsoft Windows DNS Server: Out-of-bounds read leads to information disclosure
Summary
An out-of-bounds read in the Windows DNS Server role allows an unauthenticated attacker on the network to read memory and disclose information. Per the CVE record, the impact is limited to high confidentiality loss with no integrity or availability impact. Exploitation requires no user interaction and no login, so internet-facing or poorly segmented DNS servers and domain controllers are at highest risk.
Affected
- Windows Server 2016 and Server Core installation: before build 10.0.14393.9688
- Windows Server 2019 and Server Core installation: before build 10.0.17763.9487
- Windows Server 2022: before build 10.0.20348.5870 (unverified, listed by a third party only)
- Windows Server 2025 and Server Core installation: before build 10.0.26100.33822 (unverified, listed by a third party only)
- Client Windows versions: unknown
Fixed in
- Windows Server 2016 and Server Core: build 10.0.14393.9688 or later
- Windows Server 2019 and Server Core: build 10.0.17763.9487 or later
- Windows Server 2022, 2025: verify the fixed build in the MSRC advisory
- KB numbers: check the MSRC advisory
Workaround
Unknown.
Exploitation
- No evidence of exploitation in the wild as of 10 Nov 2026.
- Not listed in the CISA KEV catalog at the time of research.
- No public exploit code known; exploit maturity rated unproven by an aggregator.
- CISA SSVC: exploitation none, automatable yes, technical impact partial.
Our recommendation
- Apply the Microsoft security update for the Windows DNS Server role as a priority, starting with Windows Server 2016 and 2019 systems.
- Verify the affected build list and KB numbers in the MSRC advisory, including 2022 and 2025 systems.
- Identify all systems running the DNS Server role, especially internet-facing DNS servers and domain controllers in untrusted network segments.
- Restrict access to DNS services to required networks until patching is complete.
- Monitor the CISA KEV catalog and the vendor advisory for changes in exploitation status.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
- Severity (Microsoft)
- Important
- Impact
- Information disclosure – Windows DNS
- 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, KB5131090, KB5131080, KB5131077
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- CVE Record CVE-2026-96972 www.cve.org
- Microsoft Security Update Guide CVE-2026-96972 msrc.microsoft.com
- OffSeq Radar CVE-2026-96972 radar.offseq.com
- Strix CVE-2026-96972 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, 05:02.
Original description (NVD)
Out-of-bounds read in Windows DNS allows an unauthorized attacker to disclose information 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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