# CVE-2026-50656: Microsoft Defender Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

> An attacker can exploit a flaw in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine to gain elevated privileges on the system.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:U/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:** 16 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 24 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hgx9-224c-3p2x

## What is CVE-2026-50656?

CVE-2026-50656 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine, published on 16 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Microsoft is aware of an elevation of privilege in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine in Microsoft Defender publicly referred to as "RoguePlanet ".

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-50656?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Malware Protection Engine.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-50656?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-50656 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-50656 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-50656 exists.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2026-50656 (github_poc): https://github.com/0xredash/CVE-2026-50656
- Validation report for the RoguePlanet Microsoft Defender PoC in a controlled Windows 11 lab environment, including build notes, Defender detection results, risk assessment, and mitigation recommendations. (github_poc): https://github.com/g0thamRabb1t/CVE-2026-50656-rogueplanet-validation
- https://github.com/eh-amish/Windows-Defender-Security-Auditor-CVE-2026-50656- (github_poc): https://github.com/eh-amish/Windows-Defender-Security-Auditor-CVE-2026-50656-
- CVE-2026-50656, CVE-2026-69414 (github_poc): https://github.com/HORKimhab/CVE-2026-50656

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine

- [CVE-2026-41091](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41091/): Microsoft Defender Link Following (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-1346](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1346/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-45584](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45584/): Microsoft Defender Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2026-69414](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-69414/): Microsoft Defender Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-55011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-55011/): Microsoft Defender Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-50656 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-50656 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Malware Protection Engine, published on 16 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-50656 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Malware Protection Engine. 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-2026-50656/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50656/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-50656
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-50656
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50656

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50656/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.