CVE-2026-105729 in Sysinternals Process Monitor
Summary
by MITRE • 10/14/2026
Untrusted pointer dereference in SysInternals allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2026
The vulnerability identified involves an untrusted pointer dereception flaw within the SysInternals suite of system administration tools, which can be exploited by an authenticated local user to achieve privilege escalation on the affected Windows operating system. This class of defect typically arises when a software component fails to properly validate pointers before using them in memory operations, allowing an attacker who has already gained access to the system with standard user privileges to manipulate these references and execute arbitrary code within the context of a higher-privileged process or service. The presence of this flaw indicates that the application does not adequately enforce boundary checks between different trust levels, thereby violating fundamental principles of secure coding related to memory safety and input validation.
From a technical perspective, an untrusted pointer dereference occurs when a program accepts data from an external source without sufficient verification and subsequently uses that data as a memory address for reading or writing operations. In the context of SysInternals tools, which often run with elevated privileges to perform deep system diagnostics and configuration changes, such a flaw is particularly dangerous because it provides a direct path to escalate rights from a low-privileged user account to SYSTEM level access. An attacker could craft specific inputs that cause the application to dereference a pointer pointing to maliciously controlled memory regions or overwrite critical function pointers in the process control block. This manipulation allows the injection and execution of shellcode, effectively bypassing standard operating system security controls such as Mandatory Integrity Control (MIC) and User Account Control (UAC).
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire host system once an attacker gains local access. With elevated privileges, the adversary can install rootkits, modify critical system configurations, steal sensitive data stored in memory or on disk, create new administrative accounts for persistent access, and disable security software such as antivirus solutions or endpoint detection and response agents. This capability transforms a minor breach of perimeter defenses into a complete compromise of the enterprise environment, facilitating lateral movement to other systems within the network and potentially leading to ransomware deployment or data exfiltration on a massive scale.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-119, which describes Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer, specifically focusing on improper pointer dereference scenarios where memory safety is compromised due to lack of validation. Furthermore, in terms of offensive security frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, this exploit technique falls under Tactic 0003 Persistence and Tactic 0006 Privilege Escalation, with specific reference to techniques such as Process Injection or Exploitation for Privilege Escalation via Local System Processes. The exploitation vector is classified as local, requiring physical or remote interactive access to the target machine prior to triggering the flaw, which limits its initial attack surface but increases the severity of consequences upon successful execution by an insider threat or a user who has fallen victim to phishing attacks leading to credential theft.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying vendor-provided patches that address the underlying code defects responsible for the improper pointer handling. Organizations should ensure that all instances of SysInternals tools are updated to the latest secure versions released by Microsoft, which include rigorous input validation and memory safety checks. Additionally, implementing strict application whitelisting policies can prevent unauthorized or unpatched versions of these utilities from executing on critical systems. For environments where such administrative tools must remain in use, deploying endpoint detection and response solutions with behavioral analysis capabilities can help detect anomalous process creation patterns indicative of privilege escalation attempts. Regular security awareness training for users to recognize social engineering tactics that lead to credential compromise is also essential to reduce the likelihood of an attacker gaining the initial local access required to exploit this flaw.