The flaw is a use‑after‑free condition in the Windows Installer component that can be triggered by an authorized user executing a crafted MSI package. The vulnerability permits local code execution with elevated privileges, effectively enabling the attacker to gain SYSTEM rights. This is a classic local privilege escalation scenario and is classified as CWE‑416.

The issue affects Microsoft Windows 10 releases starting with version 1607 through 22H2, Windows 11 releases from 23H2 through 26H2 (including ARM64 and x64 variants), and all supported Windows Server editions from 2012 to 2025, both full and core installations.

The CVSS score is 7, indicating a high severity for a local privilege escalation. The EPSS is not published, and the CVE is not yet listed in the NIST KEV catalog, meaning no publicly known active exploit is documented. The attack requires a user‑initiated or authorized execution context, so exploitation is generally limited to systems that allow installation of untrusted or malicious MSI packages. Nonetheless, the impact of successfully exploiting the flaw would grant the attacker full control over the affected machine.