# CVE-2026-50436: Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

> An authorized local attacker can exploit a use-after-free flaw in the Windows Kernel to elevate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 8 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r3m2-hccm-c492

## What is CVE-2026-50436?

CVE-2026-50436 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 24h2, published on 14 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use after free in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-50436?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 11 24h2, Microsoft Windows 11 25h2, Microsoft Windows 11 26h1, Microsoft Windows Server 2025.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-50436?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-50436 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-50436 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-50436 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 11 24h2

- [CVE-2025-60710](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-60710/): Microsoft Windows Link Following (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-54990](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54990/): Remote Desktop Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-50165](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-50165/): Windows Graphics Component Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-21311](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21311/): Windows NTLM V1 Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-108463](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-108463/): Windows SmartScreen Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-50436 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-50436 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 24h2, published on 14 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-50436 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 11 24h2. 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-2026-50436/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50436/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-50436
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-50436
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50436

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50436/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.