# CVE-2026-96929: Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

> A heap-based buffer overflow in the Windows Kernel allows an authorized local attacker 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:** 13 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hw2w-cx66-mp5m

## What is CVE-2026-96929?

CVE-2026-96929 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2022, 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

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Weakness: CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-96929?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows Server 2022, Microsoft Windows Server 2025.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-96929?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-96929 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-96929 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-96929 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows Server 2022

- [CVE-2022-34715](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-34715/): Windows Network File System Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-50171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-50171/): Remote Desktop Spoofing Vulnerability (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-70167](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-70167/): Windows Domain Name Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-45648](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45648/): Windows Active Directory Domain Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-30064](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-30064/): Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-96929 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-96929 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2022, 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-2026-96929 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows Server 2022. 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-2026-96929/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96929/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-96929
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96929
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96929

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96929/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.