Microsoft Windows Server 2016/Server 2019/Server 2022/Server 2025 DHCP Server use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, was found in Microsoft Windows Server 2016/Server 2019/Server 2022/Server 2025. This issue affects some unknown processing of the component DHCP Server. The manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-72998. The attack may be performed from remote. There is no available exploit. It is best practice to apply a patch to resolve this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows Server 2016/Server 2019/Server 2022/Server 2025. It has been classified as very critical. Affected is some unknown functionality of the component DHCP Server. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Use after free in Windows DHCP Server allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

The advisory is available at msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-72998 since 08/10/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not available. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $25k-$100k at the moment (estimation calculated on 11/11/2026).

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Microsoft

Name

• Windows

Version

• Server 2016
• Server 2019
• Server 2022
• Server 2025

License

• commercial

Website

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

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