Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-24287

Path Traversal in Microsoft Windows 10 21H2 ≤ 10.0.19044.7058

Published
10 March 2026
Modified
13 March 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0032 25th percentile
Risk Priority 56 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-24287 is a high-severity External Control of File Name or Path (CWE-73) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 21H2. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data from Local System (T1005); ranked at the 25th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); 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-2026-24287 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-73 (External Control of File Name or Path) within the Windows Kernel. Published on 2026-03-10T18:18:18.683, it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). The issue enables an authorized attacker to manipulate file names or paths in the kernel, affecting Windows operating systems.

The attack requires local access with low privileges (PR:L), low attack complexity, and no user interaction. An exploiting attacker can achieve privilege escalation locally, resulting in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Microsoft's Security Response Center (MSRC) advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-24287 provides guidance on patches and mitigations for this vulnerability.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

External control of file name or path in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1574.007 Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking environment variables used to load libraries.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-59511Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-41088Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 21H2
CVE-2026-21249Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-20925Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-20931Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-20872Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-50462Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2025-59185Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2025-59244Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2024-43615Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 10 1809
≤ 10.0.17763.8511 · ≤ 10.0.17763.8511
microsoft
windows 10 21h2
≤ 10.0.19044.7058 · ≤ 10.0.19044.7058 · ≤ 10.0.19044.7058
microsoft
windows 10 22h2
≤ 10.0.19045.7058 · ≤ 10.0.19045.7058 · ≤ 10.0.19045.7058
microsoft
windows 11 23h2
≤ 10.0.22631.6783 · ≤ 10.0.22631.6783
microsoft
windows 11 24h2
≤ 10.0.26100.7979 · ≤ 10.0.26100.7979
microsoft
windows 11 25h2
≤ 10.0.26200.7979 · ≤ 10.0.26200.7979
microsoft
windows 11 26h1
≤ 10.0.28000.1719 · ≤ 10.0.28000.1719
microsoft
windows server 2019
≤ 10.0.17763.8511
microsoft
windows server 2022
≤ 10.0.20348.4830
microsoft
windows server 2022 23h2
≤ 10.0.25398.2207
+1 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Input validation directly rejects or sanitizes untrusted path strings before they reach filesystem operations.

Enforces authorization checks on the actual resource accessed, blocking unauthorized files even when a malicious path is supplied.

Least-privilege limits the set of files or directories any subject can affect, shrinking the blast radius of a path-control flaw.

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.

PR.PS-06 full match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices include input validation and path sanitization that eliminate this weakness.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Least-privilege file authorization directly limits damage from externally controlled paths.

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.

finds

Security testing can detect path-traversal issues but does not itself implement preventive controls.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates input validation and path-handling controls that directly prevent external file/path manipulation.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against untrusted input influencing file operations.

prevents

Secure architecture principles discourage unsafe path construction but do not prescribe concrete file-name controls.

prevents

Secure coding standards require canonicalization, allow-listing, and bounds checks on file paths, directly eliminating CWE-73.

mitigates

Information access restriction limits which files can be reached, indirectly reducing impact of path manipulation.

References