Core Windows networking driver vulnerability affecting broad Windows deployments; local exploit can yield SYSTEM privileges. Listed in CISA KEV and high CVSS, so wide organizational impact.
CVE-2026-68820
Local privilege escalation in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (use-after-free).
Is CVE-2026-68820 being exploited?
Yes. CVE-2026-68820 appears in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed and reported. Treat it as active rather than theoretical, and patch it ahead of higher-scoring vulnerabilities that carry no exploitation evidence.
How severe is CVE-2026-68820?
CVE-2026-68820 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. 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-2026-68820?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-68820. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-68820 affect?
CVE-2026-68820 affects Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock, Windows client and server versions (per vendor advisory). Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-68820?
Apply Microsoft's security update or vendor mitigations immediately and follow CISA BOD 26-04.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Authorized local attacker can exploit a use-after-free to escalate to SYSTEM, enabling code execution, persistence, and credential access.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 10.0.14393.0 and < 10.0.14393.9418
- affected>= 10.0.17763.0 and < 10.0.17763.9121
- affected>= 10.0.19044.0 and < 10.0.19044.7663
- affected>= 10.0.19045.0 and < 10.0.19045.7663
- affected>= 10.0.22631.0 and < 10.0.22631.7517
- affected>= 10.0.22631.0 and < 10.0.22631.7517
- affected>= 10.0.26100.0 and < 10.0.26100.9168
- affected>= 10.0.26200.0 and < 10.0.26200.9168
- affected>= 10.0.28000.0 and < 10.0.28000.2704
- affected>= 6.2.9200.0 and < 6.2.9200.26280
- affected>= 6.3.9600.0 and < 6.3.9600.23338
- affected>= 6.3.9600.0 and < 6.3.9600.23338
- affected>= 6.2.9200.0 and < 6.2.9200.26280
- affected>= 10.0.14393.0 and < 10.0.14393.9418
- affected>= 10.0.14393.0 and < 10.0.14393.9418
- affected>= 10.0.17763.0 and < 10.0.17763.9121
- affected>= 10.0.17763.0 and < 10.0.17763.9121
- affected>= 10.0.20348.0 and < 10.0.20348.5499
- affected>= 10.0.26100.0 and < 10.0.26100.33296
- affected>= 10.0.26100.0 and < 10.0.26100.33296
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.