# CVE-2022-26904: Microsoft Windows User Profile Service Privilege Escalation

> An attacker can exploit a race condition in the Windows User Profile Service to gain elevated privileges on affected systems.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 Apr 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cf7g-gj99-69w3

## What is CVE-2022-26904?

CVE-2022-26904 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 15 Apr 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Windows User Profile Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Weakness: CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-26904?

It affects 17 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 10 1507, Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1809, Microsoft Windows 10 1909, Microsoft Windows 10 20h2, Microsoft Windows 10 21h1, Microsoft Windows 10 21h2, Microsoft Windows 11 21h2, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019, Microsoft Windows Server 2022, Microsoft Windows Server 20h2.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-26904?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-26904 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 16 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2022-26904 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2022-26904 in the wild since at least 25 Apr 2022.

Public exploit code:

- User Profile Arbitrary Junction Creation Local Privilege Elevation (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10 1507

- [CVE-2017-8543](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8543/): Microsoft Windows Search Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-33053](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33053/): Microsoft Windows External Control of File Name or Path (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-33073](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33073/): Microsoft Windows SMB Client Improper Access Control (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-49039](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49039/): Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-43461](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-43461/): Microsoft Windows MSHTML Platform Spoofing (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-26904 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-26904 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 15 Apr 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2022-26904 in the wild since at least 25 Apr 2022.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26904/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26904/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-26904
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-26904
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-26904

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26904/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.