CVE-2026-21533
published 2026-02-10CVE-2026-21533: Improper privilege management in Windows Remote Desktop allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
PriorityP184high7.8CVSS 3.1
AVLACLPRLUINSUCHIHAH
KEVITW
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilitydue 2026-03-03
Exploited in the wild
EPSS
3.85%
89.0th percentile
Improper privilege management in Windows Remote Desktop allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Affected
42 ranges· showing 25
| Vendor | Product | Version range | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| microsoft | windows_10_1607 | < 10.0.14393.8868 | 10.0.14393.8868 |
| microsoft | windows_10_1809 | < 10.0.17763.8389 | 10.0.17763.8389 |
| microsoft | windows_10_21h2 | < 10.0.19044.6937 | 10.0.19044.6937 |
| microsoft | windows_10_22h2 | < 10.0.19045.6937 | 10.0.19045.6937 |
| microsoft | windows_10_version_1607 | >= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.8868 | 10.0.14393.8868 |
| microsoft | windows_10_version_1809 | >= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.8389 | 10.0.17763.8389 |
| microsoft | windows_10_version_21h2 | >= 10.0.19044.0 < 10.0.19044.6937 | 10.0.19044.6937 |
| microsoft | windows_10_version_22h2 | >= 10.0.19045.0 < 10.0.19045.6937 | 10.0.19045.6937 |
| microsoft | windows_11_23h2 | < 10.0.22631.6649 | 10.0.22631.6649 |
| microsoft | windows_11_24h2 | < 10.0.26100.7781 | 10.0.26100.7781 |
| microsoft | windows_11_25h2 | < 10.0.26200.7781 | 10.0.26200.7781 |
| microsoft | windows_11_version_22h3 | >= 10.0.22631.0 < 10.0.22631.6649 | 10.0.22631.6649 |
| microsoft | windows_11_version_23h2 | >= 10.0.22631.0 < 10.0.22631.6649 | 10.0.22631.6649 |
| microsoft | windows_11_version_24h2 | >= 10.0.26100.0 < 10.0.26100.7840 | 10.0.26100.7840 |
| microsoft | windows_11_version_25h2 | >= 10.0.26200.0 < 10.0.26200.7840 | 10.0.26200.7840 |
| microsoft | windows_11_version_26h1 | >= 10.0.28000.0 < 10.0.28000.1575 | 10.0.28000.1575 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2012 | — | — |
| microsoft | windows_server_2012 | >= 6.2.9200.0 < 6.2.9200.25923 | 6.2.9200.25923 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2012_r2 | >= 6.3.9600.0 < 6.3.9600.23022 | 6.3.9600.23022 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2016 | < 10.0.14393.8868 | 10.0.14393.8868 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2016 | >= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.8868 | 10.0.14393.8868 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2019 | < 10.0.17763.8389 | 10.0.17763.8389 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2019 | >= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.8389 | 10.0.17763.8389 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2022 | < 10.0.20348.4711 | 10.0.20348.4711 |
| microsoft | windows_server_2022 | >= 10.0.20348.0 < 10.0.20348.4773 | 10.0.20348.4773 |
Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote
- →Exploitation of this vulnerability results in SYSTEM privilege escalation via Windows Remote Desktop Services; monitor for unexpected SYSTEM-level process creation originating from RDP session processes. ↗
- →This vulnerability is confirmed actively exploited in the wild (CISA KEV listed); prioritize detection of local privilege escalation activity on systems with Remote Desktop Services enabled. ↗
- →Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability; threat hunting on endpoints running Windows Remote Desktop Services is warranted. ↗
- ·The vulnerability requires an authorized (already authenticated) attacker to exploit; the attack vector is local privilege escalation, not remote unauthenticated exploitation. ↗
- ·Vendor patches are available across multiple KB articles; unpatched systems remain at high risk given active exploitation and a 95.8th percentile EPSS score. ↗
CVSS provenance
nvdv3.17.8HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vulncheck7.8HIGH
cisa7.8HIGH
vendor_msrc7.8HIGH
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CISA
Microsoft Windows Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
cisa·2026-02-10·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2026-21533 [HIGH] CWE-269 Microsoft Windows Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
Vulnerability: Microsoft Windows Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
Affected: Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows Remote Desktop Services contains an improper privilege management vulnerability that could allow an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Required Action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Notes: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-21533 ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-21533
Remediation Due Date: 2026-03-03
Microsoft
Windows Remote Desktop Services Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
vendor_msrc·2026-02-10·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2026-21533 [HIGH] CWE-269 Windows Remote Desktop Services Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Windows Remote Desktop Services Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Description: Improper privilege management in Windows Remote Desktop allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
FAQ: What privileges could be gained by an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain SYSTEM privileges.
Windows Remote Desktop: Windows Remote Desktop
Microsoft: Microsoft
Customer Action Required: Yes
Impact: Elevation of Privilege
Exploit Status: Publicly Disclosed:No;Exploited:Yes;Latest Software Release:Exploitation Detected
Reference: https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Search.aspx?q=KB5077179
Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/help/5077179
Reference: https://catalog.update.microsoft
GHSA
GHSA-qppx-835v-jvwp: Improper privilege management in Windows Remote Desktop allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally
ghsa_unreviewed·2026-02-10
CVE-2026-21533 [HIGH] CWE-269 GHSA-qppx-835v-jvwp: Improper privilege management in Windows Remote Desktop allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally
Improper privilege management in Windows Remote Desktop allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
VulnCheck
Microsoft Windows Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
vulncheck·2026·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2026-21533 [HIGH] CWE-269 Microsoft Windows Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
Microsoft Windows Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
Microsoft Windows Remote Desktop Services contains an improper privilege management vulnerability that could allow an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Affected: Microsoft Windows
Required Action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Exploitation References: https://api.msrc.microsoft.com/cvrf/v3.0/cvrf/2026-Feb; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lkNJ0uQwbeC1ZTRrxdtuPLCIl7mlUreoKfSIgajnSyY/edit; https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-21533; https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json; https://www.recordedfuture.c
No detection rules found.
No public exploits indexed.
Securelist
Exploits and vulnerabilities in Q1 2026
blogs_securelist·2026-05-07·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2026-21519 [HIGH] Exploits and vulnerabilities in Q1 2026
Alexander Kolesnikov
Table of Contents
Statistics on registered vulnerabilities
Exploitation statistics
Windows and Linux vulnerability exploitation
Most common published exploits
Vulnerability exploitation in APT attacks
C2 frameworks
Notable vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-21519: Desktop Window Manager vulnerability
RegPwn (CVE-2026-21533): a system settings access control vulnerability
CVE-2026-21514: a Microsoft Office vulnerability
Clawdbot (CVE-2026-25253): an OpenClaw vulnerability
CVE-2026-34070: LangChain framework vulnerability
CVE-2026-22812: an OpenCode vulnerability
Conclusion and advice
Authors
Alexander Kolesnikov
During Q1 2026, the exploit kits leveraged by threat actors to target user systems expanded once again, incorporating new exploits for the Microsoft Off
Recorded Future
February 2026 CVE Landscape: 13 Critical Vulnerabilities Mark 43% Drop from January
blogs_recorded_future·2026-03-12·CVSS 7.7
[HIGH] February 2026 CVE Landscape: 13 Critical Vulnerabilities Mark 43% Drop from January
## February 2026 CVE Landscape:13 Critical Vulnerabilities Mark 43% Drop from January
February 2026 saw a 43% decrease in high-impact vulnerabilities, with Recorded Future's Insikt Group® identifying 13 vulnerabilities requiring immediate remediation, down from 23 in January 2026 . All 13 carried a ‘Very Critical’ Recorded Future Risk Score.
What security teams need to know:
Microsoft dominates: Six of 13 vulnerabilities affected Microsoft products, accounting for 46% of February's findings; all were added to CISA's KEV catalog on the same day
Supply-chain attack on Notepad++: Lotus Blossom, a suspected China state-sponsored threat actor, exploited CVE-2025-15556 to hijack Notepad++'s update channel and deliver a Cobalt Strike Beacon and the Chrysalis backdoor
APT28 exploits MSHTML fl
Sophos
February’s Patch Tuesday assumes battle stations
blogs_sophos·2026-02-13
February’s Patch Tuesday assumes battle stations
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Qualys
Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Security Update Review
blogs_qualys·2026-02-10
Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Security Update Review
## Table of Contents
Microsoft Patch Tuesday forFebruary2026
Adobe Patches for February 2026
Zero-day Vulnerabilities Patched inFebruaryPatch Tuesday Edition
Critical Severity Vulnerabilities Patched inFebruaryPatch Tuesday Edition
Other Microsoft Vulnerability Highlights
Microsoft Release Summary
Discover and Prioritize Vulnerabilities inVulnerability Management, Detection & Response (VMDR)
Rapid Response with TruRisk Eliminate
Qualys Monthly Webinar Series
Microsoft’s February 2026 Patch Tuesday focuses on closing security gaps that attackers could exploit, reinforcing the importance of timely patching in enterprise environments. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to know.
## Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026
This month’s release addresses 61 vulnerabilities, i
Bleepingcomputer
Microsoft February 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 6 zero-days, 58 flaws
blogs_bleepingcomputer·2026-02-10·CVSS 8.8
[HIGH] Microsoft February 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 6 zero-days, 58 flaws
## Microsoft February 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 6 zero-days, 58 flaws
## Lawrence Abrams
25 Elevation of Privilege vulnerabilities
5 Security Feature Bypass vulnerabilities
12 Remote Code Execution vulnerabilities
6 Information Disclosure vulnerabilities
3 Denial of Service vulnerabilities
7 Spoofing vulnerabilities
When BleepingComputer reports on Patch Tuesday security updates, we only count those released by Microsoft today. Therefore, the number of flaws does not include 3 Microsoft Edge flaws fixed earlier this month.
As part of these updates, Microsoft has also begun to roll out updated Secure Boot certificates to replace the original 2011 certificates that are expiring in late June 2026.
"With this update, Windows quality updates include a broad set of targeting data that i
Krebs
Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Edition
blogs_krebs·2026-02-10·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2026-21510 [HIGH] Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Edition
Microsoft today released updates to fix more than 50 security holes in its Windows operating systems and other software, including patches for a whopping six “zero-day” vulnerabilities that attackers are already exploiting in the wild.
Zero-day #1 this month is CVE-2026-21510, a security feature bypass vulnerability in Windows Shell wherein a single click on a malicious link can quietly bypass Windows protections and run attacker-controlled content without warning or consent dialogs. CVE-2026-21510 affects all currently supported versions of Windows.
The zero-day flaw CVE-2026-21513 is a security bypass bug targeting MSHTML, the proprietary engine of the default Web browser in Windows. CVE-2026-21514 is a related security feature bypass in Microsoft Word.
The zero-day CVE-2026-21533 all
Talos
Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities
blogs_talos·2026-02-10·CVSS 8.8
CVE-2026-21522 [HIGH] Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities
## Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities
Microsoft has released its monthly security update for February 2026, which includes 59 vulnerabilities affecting a range of products, including two that Microsoft marked as “Critical”.
CVE-2026-21522 is a critical elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Microsoft ACI Confidential Containers. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could enable an authorized attacker to escalate privileges on affected systems. This vulnerability is not listed as publicly disclosed and received a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.7.
CVE-2026-23655 is a critical information disclosure vulnerability affecting Microsoft ACI Confidential Containers. This vulnerability could enable an authorized attacker to disclose sensit
Qualys
Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Security Update Review | Qualys
blogs_qualys·2026-02-10
Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Security Update Review | Qualys
#### Table of Contents
- Microsoft Patch Tuesday forFebruary2026
- Adobe Patches for February 2026
- Zero-day Vulnerabilities Patched inFebruaryPatch Tuesday Edition
- Critical Severity Vulnerabilities Patched inFebruaryPatch Tuesday Edition
- Other Microsoft Vulnerability Highlights
- Microsoft Release Summary
- Discover and Prioritize Vulnerabilities inVulnerability Management, Detection & Response (VMDR)
- Rapid Response with TruRisk Eliminate
- Qualys Monthly Webinar Series
Microsoft’s February 2026 Patch Tuesday focuses on closing security gaps that attackers could exploit, reinforcing the importance of timely patching in enterprise environments. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to know.
## Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026
This month’s release addresses 61 vulner
Krebs
Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Edition
blogs_krebs·2026-02-10·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2026-21510 [HIGH] Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Edition
Microsoft today released updates to fix more than 50 security holes in its Windows operating systems and other software, including patches for a whopping six “zero-day” vulnerabilities that attackers are already exploiting in the wild.
Zero-day #1 this month is CVE-2026-21510 , a security feature bypass vulnerability in Windows Shell wherein a single click on a malicious link can quietly bypass Windows protections and run attacker-controlled content without warning or consent dialogs. CVE-2026-21510 affects all currently supported versions of Windows.
The zero-day flaw CVE-2026-21513 is a security bypass bug targeting MSHTML , the proprietary engine of the default Web browser in Windows. CVE-2026-21514 is a related security feature bypass in Microsoft Word.
The zero-day CVE-2026-21533 a
Tenable
February 2026 Microsoft Patch Tuesday | Tenable®
blogs_tenable·2026-02-10
February 2026 Microsoft Patch Tuesday | Tenable®
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Talos
Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities
blogs_talos·2026-02-10·CVSS 8.8
CVE-2026-21522 [HIGH] Microsoft Patch Tuesday for February 2026 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities
Microsoft has released its monthly security update for February 2026, which includes 59 vulnerabilities affecting a range of products, including two that Microsoft marked as “Critical”.
CVE-2026-21522 is a critical elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Microsoft ACI Confidential Containers. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could enable an authorized attacker to escalate privileges on affected systems. This vulnerability is not listed as publicly disclosed and received a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.7.
CVE-2026-23655 is a critical information disclosure vulnerability affecting Microsoft ACI Confidential Containers. This vulnerability could enable an authorized attacker to disclose sensitive information including secret tokens and keys if successfully exploited. This vulnerabi
Wiz
CVE-2026-21533 Impact, Exploitability, and Mitigation Steps | Wiz
blogs_wiz·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2026-21533 [HIGH] CVE-2026-21533 Impact, Exploitability, and Mitigation Steps | Wiz
## CVE-2026-21533 :
vulnerability analysis and mitigation
Improper privilege management in Windows Remote Desktop allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Source : NVD
## 7.8
Score
Published February 10, 2026
Severity HIGH
CNA Score 7.8
Has Public Exploit Yes
Has CISA KEV Exploit Yes
CISA KEV Release Date N/A
CISA KEV Due Date N/A
Exploitation Probability Percentile (EPSS) 95.8
Exploitation Probability (EPSS) 22.7
Sources
NVD
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Recorded Future
February 2026 CVE Landscape: 13 Critical Vulnerabilities Mark 43% Drop from January
blogs_recorded_future·CVSS 7.7
[HIGH] February 2026 CVE Landscape: 13 Critical Vulnerabilities Mark 43% Drop from January
# February 2026 CVE Landscape:13 Critical Vulnerabilities Mark 43% Drop from January
February 2026 saw a 43% decrease in high-impact vulnerabilities, with Recorded Future's Insikt Group® identifying 13 vulnerabilities requiring immediate remediation, down from 23 in January 2026. All 13 carried a ‘Very Critical’ Recorded Future Risk Score.
What security teams need to know:
- Microsoft dominates: Six of 13 vulnerabilities affected Microsoft products, accounting for 46% of February's findings; all were added to CISA's KEV catalog on the same day
- Supply-chain attack on Notepad++: Lotus Blossom, a suspected China state-sponsored threat actor, exploited CVE-2025-15556 to hijack Notepad++'s update channel and deliver a Cobalt Strike Beacon and the Chrysalis backdoor
- APT28 exploits MSHTML
Sophos
February’s Patch Tuesday assumes battle stations
blogs_sophos
February’s Patch Tuesday assumes battle stations
Share This
Microsoft on Tuesday released 58 patches affecting 15 product families. Five of the addressed issues, all involving Azure, are considered by Microsoft to be of Critical severity, though only two require urgent attention (more on that below). Fifteen have a CVSS base score of 8.0 or higher, including two with a 9.8 base score. Six are known to be under active exploit in the wild, and three are publicly disclosed (including one not yet known to be under exploit).
At patch time, five CVEs are judged more likely to be exploited in the next 30 days by the company’s estimation, in addition to the six already detected to be so. Various of this month’s issues are amenable to direct detection by Sophos protections, and we include information on those in a table below. The release also
https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-21533https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-21533-detection-script-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-in-windows-remote-desktophttps://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-21533-mitigation-script-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-in-windows-remote-desktophttps://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-21533
2026-02-10
Published
2026-02-10
Added to CISA KEV
Exploited in the wild