This vulnerability is a use-after-free flaw in the Microsoft Windows Search Component that allows a local user with authorized access to trigger a privileged escalation. Exploitation would enable the attacker to abuse a freed memory reference to obtain higher privileges than the user originally holds, potentially compromising system integrity and confidentiality.

Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2, Windows 11 versions 23H2, 24H2, 25H2, 26H2, 26H1, and Windows Server 2022 and 2025, including Server Core installations. All affected builds are listed by Microsoft in the advisory and correspond to the product versions indicated above.

The CVSS score of 7 indicates a moderate severity, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. The EPSS score is not available, so the current probability of exploitation is unclear. The attack vector is local; an authorized attacker must be able to run code on the target machine to crash the Search component and abuse memory that is no longer valid. Once the use-after-free is triggered, a privileged escalation result is achieved, violating the principle of least privilege and potentially allowing system compromise.