RCE via a core Windows component; widely deployed OS tools; broad impact across orgs.
CVE-2026-42981
Network-based integer underflow in Windows Performance Monitor enables remote code execution.
Is CVE-2026-42981 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-42981 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.64% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-42981?
CVE-2026-42981 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.1. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-42981?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-42981. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-42981 affect?
CVE-2026-42981 affects Windows OS - Performance Monitor. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-42981?
Apply updates when released; limit network exposure to Performance Monitor.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Remote code execution over the network by abusing an integer underflow in Windows Performance Monitor; could gain full control.
Patch when available
- affected>= 10.0.22631.0 and < 10.0.22631.7219
- affected>= 10.0.22631.0 and < 10.0.22631.7219
- affected>= 10.0.26100.0 and < 10.0.26100.8655
- affected>= 10.0.26200.0 and < 10.0.26200.8655
- affected>= 10.0.28000.0 and < 10.0.28000.2269
- affected>= 10.0.20348.0 and < 10.0.20348.5256
- affected>= 10.0.26100.0 and < 10.0.26100.32995
- affected>= 10.0.26100.0 and < 10.0.26100.32995
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.