CVE-2026-108462: Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2026-108462 Overview

CVE-2026-108462 is an information disclosure vulnerability in the Windows Kernel. The flaw exposes sensitive system information to an unauthorized control sphere, allowing an authenticated local attacker to read data that should remain protected. Microsoft published the advisory on October 13, 2026.

The weakness is classified under [CWE-497] (Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere). Exploitation requires local access and low privileges but no user interaction. Successful attacks compromise confidentiality without affecting integrity or availability.

Critical Impact
An authenticated local attacker can disclose sensitive kernel information that may be used to defeat security mitigations or support follow-on privilege escalation attacks.

Affected Products

Microsoft Windows (Windows Kernel component)
Specific affected builds listed in the Microsoft Security Update Guide
Refer to Microsoft's advisory for the authoritative product matrix

Discovery Timeline

2026-10-13 - CVE-2026-108462 published to NVD
2026-10-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-108462

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the Windows Kernel and is categorized as an information disclosure flaw. An authenticated attacker running code on an affected system can trigger kernel code paths that return sensitive data to a lower-privileged context. The disclosed data may include kernel memory addresses, pointers, or other state that supports additional attacks.

Information disclosure flaws in the kernel are frequently chained with memory corruption bugs. Leaked addresses can defeat Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR) and simplify exploitation of unrelated vulnerabilities. The impact is scoped to confidentiality, with no reported impact to integrity or availability.

The EPSS score at publication was 0.469%, placing the vulnerability in the 39th percentile for likelihood of exploitation. No public proof-of-concept code has been released, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper restriction of sensitive system information crossing a trust boundary [CWE-497]. The kernel exposes data to a control sphere that should not have access to it. This typically occurs when kernel structures or uninitialized buffers are returned to user mode through system calls or IOCTLs without adequate sanitization.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute code on the target host with low privileges. From that position, the attacker invokes the vulnerable kernel interface and reads the returned data. No user interaction is required, and the attack complexity is low.

Technical specifics of the vulnerable interface have not been published by Microsoft. See the Microsoft Security Update Guide for vendor-provided details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-108462

Indicators of Compromise

No public indicators of compromise have been published for CVE-2026-108462.
Information disclosure exploitation often leaves minimal forensic artifacts, making behavioral detection the primary signal.
Watch for unexpected low-privileged processes invoking rare kernel interfaces or system calls associated with diagnostics and debugging.

Detection Strategies

Monitor for unauthorized processes performing repeated kernel information queries or NtQuerySystemInformation calls from non-administrative contexts.
Correlate local code execution events with subsequent privilege escalation attempts, which commonly follow kernel information leaks.
Baseline normal process behavior on endpoints and alert on anomalous access patterns to kernel objects.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable Windows event logging for process creation (Event ID 4688) with command-line auditing on all endpoints.
Deploy endpoint detection tooling capable of tracing system call activity and flagging anomalous kernel interface usage.
Review authentication logs for suspicious local logons that may precede exploitation of a local vulnerability.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-108462

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the Microsoft security update referenced in the Microsoft Security Update Guide to all affected Windows systems.
Prioritize patching on multi-user systems, terminal servers, and hosts accessible to low-privileged interactive users.
Audit local account privileges and remove unnecessary interactive logon rights from standard users.

Patch Information

Microsoft has released a security update addressing CVE-2026-108462. Consult the Microsoft Security Update Guide for the specific KB article and build numbers that apply to each supported Windows version. Deploy the update through Windows Update, WSUS, Microsoft Intune, or your standard patch management workflow.

Workarounds

No official workaround has been published by Microsoft; applying the security update is the recommended remediation.
Restrict local access on affected systems by limiting interactive logon rights to administrators and trusted service accounts.
Enforce application control policies such as Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) to limit which binaries can execute locally.
Monitor and respond to any local code execution events that could enable an attacker to reach the vulnerable interface.