This vulnerability is a double‑free in the Windows Shell that allows an attacker with local authenticated access to gain higher privileges on the affected system. The flaw originates from improper memory management, causing a free operation on an object that has already been freed. Exploiting the flaw can lead to elevation of privileges, potentially enabling a local user to execute arbitrary code with system rights, compromising both confidentiality and integrity of the underlying operating system. The weakness corresponds to CWE‑415: Double Free.

Affected systems include Microsoft Windows 11 versions 22H3, 23H2, 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1, as well as Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2025, and the Server Core installation of Windows Server 2025 23H2 Edition. Both arm64 and x64 architectures are impacted where specified.

The CVSS score of 7.0 indicates high severity, but the EPSS score is not available, so the likelihood of exploitation is uncertain. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, suggesting it has not been widely observed in the wild. Attackers would need local authorized access; the flaw is a local privilege escalation rather than a remote attack vector. Still, the high severity warrants prompt remediation.