Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-26184

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows 10 21H2 ≤ 10.0.19044.7184

Published
14 April 2026
Modified
23 April 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 0.0024 15th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-26184 is a high-severity Buffer Over-read (CWE-126) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 21H2. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique OS Credential Dumping (T1003); ranked at the 15th 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 SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SA-8 (Security and Privacy Engineering Principles) — 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-2026-26184 is a buffer over-read vulnerability, classified under CWE-126, in the Windows Projected File System component of Microsoft Windows operating systems. Published on 2026-04-14T18:16:55.440, 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), indicating high severity due to its potential for significant impact.

A local attacker with low privileges (PR:L) can exploit this vulnerability with low attack complexity and no user interaction required. Successful exploitation allows privilege escalation on the affected system, granting high-level access that compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Microsoft's Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-26184 provides guidance on updates and mitigation for this vulnerability.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Buffer over-read in Windows Projected File System allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1003 OS Credential Dumping Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to dump credentials to obtain account login and credential material, normally in the form of a hash or a clear text password.
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.
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-62461Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2025-62462Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-42828Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2025-62464Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-26155Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-26169Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-50383Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2026-20846Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2025-62473Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809
CVE-2025-60720Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1809

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 10 1809
≤ 10.0.17763.8644 · ≤ 10.0.17763.8644
microsoft
windows 10 21h2
≤ 10.0.19044.7184 · ≤ 10.0.19044.7184 · ≤ 10.0.19044.7184
microsoft
windows 10 22h2
≤ 10.0.19045.7184 · ≤ 10.0.19045.7184 · ≤ 10.0.19045.7184
microsoft
windows 11 23h2
≤ 10.0.22631.6936 · ≤ 10.0.22631.6936
microsoft
windows 11 24h2
≤ 10.0.26100.8246 · ≤ 10.0.26100.8246
microsoft
windows 11 25h2
≤ 10.0.26200.8246 · ≤ 10.0.26200.8246
microsoft
windows 11 26h1
≤ 10.0.28000.1836 · ≤ 10.0.28000.1836
microsoft
windows server 2019
≤ 10.0.17763.8644
microsoft
windows server 2022
≤ 10.0.20348.5020
microsoft
windows server 2022 23h2
≤ 10.0.25398.2274
+1 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Developer testing and evaluation (static analysis, fuzzing, bounds checking tests) directly finds buffer over-read flaws.

Engineering principles such as memory-safe design and bounds-checked abstractions structurally stop introduction of out-of-bounds reads.

Process isolation limits the blast radius of an over-read to the compromised domain.

Input validation enforces length and index constraints that prevent many externally triggered over-reads.

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 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices directly prevent introduction of buffer over-read weaknesses.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes can discover buffer over-read flaws via scanning or review.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching or replacing vulnerable software removes known instances of buffer over-read bugs.

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 in development can detect buffer over-reads before release.

prevents

Secure SDLC mandates input validation and bounds checking that can prevent buffer over-reads.

prevents

Application security requirements can specify buffer-size and bounds-checking rules.

prevents

Secure architecture principles include memory-safety and bounds-checking design choices.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly require bounds-checked buffer access, mitigating over-reads.

References