CVE-2026-32156
Published: 14 April 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-32156 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 21H2. Its CVSS base score is 7.4 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 18.5th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 CM-7 (Least Functionality) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2026-32156 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in the Windows Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Device Host, published on 2026-04-14. It affects Windows systems where the UPnP Device Host component fails to properly manage memory after freeing it, potentially leading to exploitation. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.4 (AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability with local attack vector, high attack complexity, and no privileges required.
An unauthorized local attacker can exploit this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution on the affected system. The attacker requires local access to the machine (AV:L) but needs no user privileges (PR:N) or interaction (UI:N), though the attack is complex (AC:H). Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute code in the context of the UPnP Device Host process, potentially compromising the system with high impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-32156 provides details on patches and mitigation guidance for this vulnerability.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-22544
Vulnerability details
Use after free in Windows Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Device Host allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Use-after-free in local Windows system component (UPnP Device Host) with AV:L/PR:N directly enables arbitrary code execution for privilege escalation without requiring initial access or user interaction.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly remediates the use-after-free vulnerability in Windows UPnP Device Host by requiring timely application of vendor patches.
Implements memory protection safeguards such as ASLR and DEP to prevent exploitation of use-after-free vulnerabilities leading to arbitrary code execution.
Restricts least functionality by disabling unnecessary UPnP Device Host services, eliminating the vulnerable component's attack surface for local attackers.