HIGH · CVSS 7.8 CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

CVE-2026-85880

Microsoft Windows Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

Microsoft Windows

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows ALPC allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CVSS
7.8
HIGH
EPSS
0.6%
30-day exploitation
Ransomware groups
0
recorded exploiting
Published
8 Sep 2026
CWE-122, CWE-908

Exploitation status

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Listed by CISA on 8 September 2026. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 22 September 2026.

EPSS — exploitation probability

FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 0.6%, which is higher than 46% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2026-85880 being exploited by ransomware groups?

No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2026-85880.

What does CVE-2026-85880 affect?

CVE-2026-85880 affects Microsoft Windows. Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows ALPC allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

How severe is CVE-2026-85880?

CVE-2026-85880 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.6%, higher than 46% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 22 September 2026.

How should organisations respond to CVE-2026-85880?

Apply the vendor patch for Microsoft Windows as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.