CVE-2026-41091

Microsoft Defender Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Microsoft Defender allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Affected

Microsoft · Microsoft Malware Protection Engine

CVSS v3.1 MICROSOFT

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

EPSS

0.44% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, 37th percentile

CISA KEV

added 2026-05-20

Published

2026-05-20

Updated

2026-08-10

Proof-of-concept exploits (4)

• 0xBlackash/CVE-2026-4109112★ · 2026-05-21
• tc4dy/CVE-2026-41091-PoC-Exploit5★ · 2026-10-16
• s4m98/RedSun-1★ · 2026-08-09
• tc4dy/CVE-2026-6875-PoC-Exploit3★ · 2026-10-12

Security advisories

• https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-41091
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-41091

References

• CVE Record
• NVD entry

Related

• CVE-2026-0073
• CVE-2026-14762
• CVE-2026-15409
• CVE-2026-15410
• CVE-2026-24061
• CVE-2026-29000