# CVE-2026-96849: Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers Information Disclosure Vulnerability

> An authorized local attacker can exploit uninitialized resources in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers to disclose sensitive information.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/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:** 13 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wx66-6c6f-2wv9

## What is CVE-2026-96849?

CVE-2026-96849 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 26h1, published on 13 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use of uninitialized resource in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers allows an authorized attacker to disclose information locally.

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-96849?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Windows 11 26h1.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-96849?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-96849 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-96849 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-96849 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 11 26h1

- [CVE-2026-85921](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85921/): Windows Secure Kernel Mode Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2026-83939](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-83939/): Windows Secure Kernel Mode Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2026-105005](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-105005/): Windows Schannel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2026-85850](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85850/): Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-97803](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97803/): Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-96849 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-96849 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 26h1, published on 13 Oct 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-2026-96849 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 11 26h1. 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-2026-96849/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96849/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-96849
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96849
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96849

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96849/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.