How severe is CVE-2026-68896?

CVE-2026-68896 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-68896 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-68896?

CVE-2026-68896 primarily affects Microsoft Windows 11 23h2. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-68896?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2026-68896 published?

CVE-2026-68896 was published on 2026-09-08 and last updated on 2026-09-24.

CVE-2026-68896

CVE-2026-68896 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 23h2 with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-36.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (29th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-36
Affected product: Microsoft Windows 11 23h2
Published: 2026-09-08
Last modified: 2026-09-24

Description

Absolute path traversal in Microsoft Windows Search Component allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-68896?: Absolute path traversal in Microsoft Windows Search Component allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
How severe is CVE-2026-68896?: CVE-2026-68896 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-68896 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-68896?: CVE-2026-68896 primarily affects Microsoft Windows 11 23h2. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-68896?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2026-68896 published?: CVE-2026-68896 was published on 2026-09-08 and last updated on 2026-09-24.

References

https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68896

Affected products (10)

cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_24h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_24h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_25h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_25h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_26h1:*:*:*:*:*:*:arm64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_26h1:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2022:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2025:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*

More vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 11 23h2

CVE-2025-49708 — Critical (CVSS 9.9): Use after free in Microsoft Graphics Component allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.
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All CVEs affecting Microsoft Windows 11 23h2 →

Other CWE-36 vulnerabilities

CVE-2023-3765 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Absolute Path Traversal in GitHub repository mlflow/mlflow prior to 2.5.0.
CVE-2026-68487 — Critical (CVSS 9.9): Path traversal in Plesk's Backup Manager causes arbitrary file write as root by an authenticated customer.
CVE-2025-34392 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Barracuda Service Center, as implemented in the RMM solution, in versions prior to 2025.1.1, does not verify the URL…
CVE-2025-0851 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): A path traversal issue in ZipUtils.unzip and TarUtils.untar in Deep Java Library (DJL) on all platforms allows a bad…
CVE-2024-13161 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Absolute path traversal in Ivanti EPM before the 2024 January-2025 Security Update and 2022 SU6 January-2025 Security…
CVE-2024-13160 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Absolute path traversal in Ivanti EPM before the 2024 January-2025 Security Update and 2022 SU6 January-2025 Security…

Browse all CWE-36 vulnerabilities →