CVE-2026-50489: Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

highCVSS 8.8CVE-2026-50489

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Win32K allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CSIRTS triage

vendor: Microsoft product: Win32k Privilege escalation

What: Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Win32K allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Who is affected: Users of Windows Win32K are affected.
Urgency: Remediation is urgent due to the high severity and potential for local privilege escalation.
Action: Apply the latest security patch for Win32K.

AI-assisted analysis generated from the source advisory — verify against the original.

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Details

Source: Microsoft Security Response Center (INTL · vendor-psirt · site)
Severity: high — CVSS 8.8
Published: 2026-07-14
Exploitation: Not in CISA KEV at last sync

Original advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50489

Exploitation outlook

EPSS (FIRST.org) estimates each CVE’s probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — here is the CSIRTS.com read on those numbers.

Low exploitation riskCVE-2026-504890.36% 30-day exploitation probability — currently an unlikely target, but scores change as exploit code circulates. Riskier than 29% of all scored CVEs.

Referenced CVEs

CVE	CSIRTS overview	External
CVE-2026-50489	coverage & exploitation status	NVD · CVE.org

Same CVEs, other sources

How other CERTs, PSIRTs and databases cover the vulnerabilities in this advisory.

critical[NEW] [critical] Microsoft Windows products: Multiple vulnerabilitiescert-bund
highCVE-2026-50489: Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Win32K allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileg…nvd
unknownexploitedNCSC-2026-0231 [1.00] [M/H] Vulnerabilities fixed in Microsoft Windowsncsc-nl

Recent advisories for Win32k Elevation of

A cluster of recent advisories against the same product widens the attack surface — attackers routinely chain freshly published CVEs on one product, so review these together.

highCVE-2026-58632: Use after free in Windows Win32K allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.nvd · 2026-07-14
mediumCVE-2026-57095: Exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor in Windows Win32K allows an unautho…nvd · 2026-07-14
highCVE-2026-56176: Out-of-bounds read in Windows Win32K - GRFX allows an authorized attacker to elevate privilege…nvd · 2026-07-14
highCVE-2026-50489: Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Win32K allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileg…nvd · 2026-07-14
highCVE-2026-54986: Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Win32K allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileg…nvd · 2026-07-14
highCVE-2026-54114: Use after free in Windows Win32K allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.nvd · 2026-07-14