CVE-2026-50459 Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
An attacker can exploit a use-after-free flaw in the Windows Kernel to elevate privileges locally.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-50459?
CVE-2026-50459 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 21h2, published on 14 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
Use after free in Windows Kernel allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-50459?
It affects 7 products.
Products include Microsoft Windows 10 21h2, Microsoft Windows 10 22h2, Microsoft Windows 11 24h2, Microsoft Windows 11 25h2, Microsoft Windows 11 26h1, Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and 1 more.
How do I fix CVE-2026-50459?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-50459 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-50459 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-50459 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10 21h2
- CVE-2025-21333 Microsoft Windows Hyper-V NT Kernel Integration VSP Heap-based Buffer Overflow
- CVE-2025-21334 Microsoft Windows Hyper-V NT Kernel Integration VSP Use-After-Free
- CVE-2025-21335 Microsoft Windows Hyper-V NT Kernel Integration VSP Use-After-Free
- CVE-2026-42904 Windows TCP/IP Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
- CVE-2026-105733 Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Sources
Also known as GHSA-pfwp-6ww7-h9wr.