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Microsoft · Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock

CVE-2026-68820

Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CISA KEV record

CISA date added
2026-08-11
CISA due date
2026-08-25
Known ransomware use
Unknown

NVD risk context

7.0 HIGH

CVSS is a technical severity score. CISA’s KEV status remains the evidence that this vulnerability is known to be exploited.

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Attack vector
Local
An attacker needs local access to the affected system.
Attack complexity
High
Exploitation depends on conditions outside the attacker’s direct control.
Privileges required
Low
The attacker needs limited privileges before exploiting the issue.
User interaction
None
No action by another user is required.

Description

Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock contains a use-after-free vulnerability that allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Required action

Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

NVD reference index

Vendor and remediation references

NVD has not tagged a reference for this KEV as a patch, mitigation, release note, or vendor advisory.

Other NVD references (2)

MITRE CWE context

CWE classification

CWE-416 Use After Free

The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.

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NVD record timing

NVD record timeline

These dates describe NVD’s record, not CISA’s KEV addition or remediation due date.

NVD published
Aug 11, 2026, 05:19 PM UTC
When NVD first published this CVE record.
NVD last updated
Aug 11, 2026, 08:18 PM UTC
When NVD last changed its analysis or record data.
Advanced: view the technical CVSS vector

This standardized code is intended for security tools and technical analysts. The plain-language risk summary above explains its main points.

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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CISA notes

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2026-68820 ; BOD 26-04: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; Forensics Triage Requirements: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68820