Description
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows NTFS allows an authorized attacker to execute code locally.
Published: 2026-01-13
Score: 7.8 High
EPSS: 2.4% Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

Impact

A heap-based buffer overflow exists within the Windows NTFS file system component. When an authorized local user causes NTFS to process crafted input, the overflow permits execution of arbitrary code in the context of the NTFS process. The weakness is classified as CWE‑122.

Affected Systems

Microsoft Windows 10 versions 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2; Windows 11 versions 22H3, 23H2, 24H2, 25H2; Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, 2008 SP2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022 (including the 23H2 edition), and 2025 (including Server Core installations).

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 7.8 indicates a high severity local impact, while the EPSS score of 2% suggests a low probability of exploitation at present. The vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Exploitation requires an attacker to have authorized local access and to trigger the NTFS heap overflow, after which malicious code would run in the context of the NTFS process.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on June 24, 2026 at 13:52 UTC.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Apply the latest Windows security updates for the affected operating systems, as listed on Microsoft’s update guide for CVE‑2026‑20840.
  • Limit local user privileges to the minimum necessary for NTFS operations, reducing the attack surface for a potential trigger.
  • Enable and monitor NTFS audit logging to detect anomalous file system changes that could indicate an attempted exploitation.
  • Deploy application whitelisting or endpoint protection rules to block execution of unauthorized code on affected machines.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on June 24, 2026 at 13:52 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Microsoft windows 10 21h2
Microsoft windows 10 22h2
Microsoft windows 11 23h2
Microsoft windows 11 24h2
Microsoft windows 11 25h2
Microsoft windows Server 2008
Microsoft windows Server 2022 23h2
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_21h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_22h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_24h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_25h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:-:sp2:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:-:sp2:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:r2:sp1:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:r2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2022_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Microsoft windows 10 21h2
Microsoft windows 10 22h2
Microsoft windows 11 23h2
Microsoft windows 11 24h2
Microsoft windows 11 25h2
Microsoft windows Server 2008
Microsoft windows Server 2022 23h2

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows NTFS allows an authorized attacker to execute code locally.
Title Windows NTFS Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
First Time appeared Microsoft
Microsoft windows 10 1607
Microsoft windows 10 1809
Microsoft windows 10 21h2
Microsoft windows 10 22h2
Microsoft windows 11 23h2
Microsoft windows 11 24h2
Microsoft windows 11 25h2
Microsoft windows Server 2008 R2
Microsoft windows Server 2008 Sp2
Microsoft windows Server 2012
Microsoft windows Server 2012 R2
Microsoft windows Server 2016
Microsoft windows Server 2019
Microsoft windows Server 2022
Microsoft windows Server 2025
Microsoft windows Server 23h2
Weaknesses CWE-122
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_21H2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_22H2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23H2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23H2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_24H2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_25H2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008_R2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008_sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012_R2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2019:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2022:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2025:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Microsoft
Microsoft windows 10 1607
Microsoft windows 10 1809
Microsoft windows 10 21h2
Microsoft windows 10 22h2
Microsoft windows 11 23h2
Microsoft windows 11 24h2
Microsoft windows 11 25h2
Microsoft windows Server 2008 R2
Microsoft windows Server 2008 Sp2
Microsoft windows Server 2012
Microsoft windows Server 2012 R2
Microsoft windows Server 2016
Microsoft windows Server 2019
Microsoft windows Server 2022
Microsoft windows Server 2025
Microsoft windows Server 23h2
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C'}

Subscriptions

Microsoft Windows 10 1607 Windows 10 1809 Windows 10 21h2 Windows 10 21h2 Windows 10 22h2 Windows 10 22h2 Windows 11 23h2 Windows 11 23h2 Windows 11 24h2 Windows 11 24h2 Windows 11 25h2 Windows 11 25h2 Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 Sp2 Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2012 R2 Windows Server 2016 Windows Server 2019 Windows Server 2022 Windows Server 2022 23h2 Windows Server 2025 Windows Server 23h2
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: microsoft

Published:

Updated: 2026-04-01T13:48:36.773Z

Reserved: 2025-12-03T05:54:20.376Z

Link: CVE-2026-20840

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-01-13T19:36:23.814Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-01-13T18:16:12.490

Modified: 2026-06-17T10:17:53.680

Link: CVE-2026-20840

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-06-24T14:00:07Z

Weaknesses
  • CWE-122

    Heap-based Buffer Overflow