VDB-340776 · CVE-2026-20842 · GCVE-0-2026-20842

Microsoft Windows up to Server 2025 DWM Core Library use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
6.4	$5k-$25k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2025. The impacted element is an unknown function of the component DWM Core Library. The manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2026-20842. The attack is only possible with local access. There is not any exploit available. Applying a patch is advised to resolve this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2025. Affected is some unknown functionality of the component DWM Core Library. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Use after free in Windows DWM allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

The weakness was released 01/13/2026 as confirmed security update guide (Website). The advisory is shared for download at msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-20842. The exploitability is told to be difficult. The attack needs to be approached locally. There are neither technical details nor an exploit publicly available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $5k-$25k (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.

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

Type

Operating System

Vendor

Microsoft

Name

Windows

Version

License

commercial

Website

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

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.4

VulDB Base Score: 7.0
VulDB Temp Score: 6.1
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Vendor Base Score (Microsoft): 7.0
Vendor Vector (Microsoft): 🔒

CNA Base Score: 7.0
CNA Vector (Microsoft): 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔒
Status: Unproven

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔒
0-Day Time: 🔒
Exposure Time: 🔒

Timelineinfo

01/13/2026 VulDB entry created
01/13/2026 +0 days Advisory disclosed
01/13/2026 +0 days Countermeasure disclosed
01/16/2026 +3 days VulDB entry last update