Microsoft Windows up to Server 2025 DirectX Graphics race condition

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Microsoft Windows. This affects an unknown part of the component DirectX Graphics. This manipulation causes race condition. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-20836. It is possible to launch the attack on the local host. There is not any exploit available. To fix this issue, it is recommended to deploy a patch.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Microsoft Windows and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code of the component DirectX Graphics. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a race condition vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-362. The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, and the code sequence requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence that is operating concurrently. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Graphics Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

The weakness was released 01/13/2026 as confirmed security update guide (Website). It is possible to read the advisory at msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-20836. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Attacking locally is a requirement. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 01/16/2026).

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Microsoft

Name

• Windows

Version

• 10 21H2
• 10 22H2
• 10 1607
• 10 1809
• 11 23H2
• 11 24H2
• 11 25H2
• Server 2016
• Server 2019
• Server 2022
• Server 2022 23H2
• Server 2025

License

• commercial

Website

• Vendor: https://www.microsoft.com/
• Product: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Discussion