CVE-2026-85850
HighCVSS 7.8Exploitation Probability (EPSS)
Low risk26th percentile - higher than 26% of all known CVEs
Summary
Release of invalid pointer or reference in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Risk Assessment
An attacker with valid credentials could exploit this flaw to gain higher privileges on the system, potentially leading to full workstation compromise.
Recommendation
Apply Microsoft security updates for Windows as soon as possible and restrict local access to trusted users.
Other vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel
See all- CVE-2026-35420High
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- CVE-2017-11847High
The Windows kernel vulnerability allows an attacker to run arbitrary code in kernel mode, which can lead to installing programs, changing or deleting data, and creating new accounts with full user rights.
- CVE-2017-8561High
The Windows kernel has a privilege escalation vulnerability due to the way it handles objects in memory. This affects multiple versions of Windows, including Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2016.
- CVE-2026-49798Critical
Use-after-free vulnerability in the Windows kernel allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- CVE-2026-45657Critical
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Windows Kernel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code remotely over a network.
- CVE-2026-40369High
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- CVE-2026-24289High
A use after free vulnerability in the Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to locally elevate privileges.
- CVE-2025-62215HighActively exploited
Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
- CVE-2024-38106HighActively exploited
A vulnerability in the Windows Kernel allows for elevation of privilege. The NVD description does not provide technical details or required user interaction.
- CVE-2024-30088HighActively exploited
A vulnerability in the Windows kernel allows elevation of privilege. This flaw can be exploited by a local attacker to gain higher privileges on the system.
Original NVD description (English source)
Release of invalid pointer or reference in Windows Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS