CVE-2026-23674
Microsoft Windows 10 21H2 ≤ 10.0.19044.7058
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NSummary
CVE-2026-23674 is a high-severity Improper Resolution of Path Equivalence (CWE-41) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 21H2. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data from Local System (T1005); ranked in the top 35% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2026-23674 is an improper resolution of path equivalence vulnerability in the Windows MapUrlToZone function, which affects Windows operating systems. This flaw allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network, as detailed in its description and associated with CWE-41 (Improper Resolution of Path Equivalence). The vulnerability received a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), indicating high severity primarily due to its confidentiality impact.
The attack scenario involves a remote, unauthenticated attacker with no privileges or user interaction required. By exploiting the improper path equivalence handling in MapUrlToZone, the attacker can bypass Windows security zone restrictions, potentially achieving high confidentiality impact such as unauthorized access to sensitive data that would otherwise be protected by zone-based policies.
Microsoft's Security Response Center provides guidance on this vulnerability through its update guide at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23674, which details available patches and mitigation recommendations for affected Windows systems.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-10599
Vulnerability Data
Improper resolution of path equivalence in Windows MapUrlToZone allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Input validation of file paths directly rejects or normalizes the special-character manipulations that create equivalent names.
Proper enforcement of file access authorizations structurally blocks disclosure when equivalent paths are presented.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure coding standards directly require canonical path resolution and input sanitization to prevent equivalence attacks.
Security testing can detect path-equivalence flaws before release, partially fulfilling the control.
Secure development lifecycle includes path-handling requirements that reduce equivalence-based disclosure.
Application security requirements can mandate canonicalization and input validation to block path equivalence.
Secure architecture principles call for safe file-system abstractions that mitigate path traversal risks.
Information access restriction limits what files can be reached, indirectly reducing impact of path-equivalence exploits.