CVE-2026-96951
Microsoft Windows Command Injection Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 16 October 2026). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
Improper neutralization of special elements used in a command ('command injection') in Windows Shell allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network.
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 9.81% probability · 96th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Listed 13 October 2026 · due 16 October 2026
- Weakness
- CWE-77
- Affected
- microsoft/outlook web · microsoft/windows 10 1607 · microsoft/windows 10 1809 · microsoft/windows 10 21h2 · microsoft/windows 10 22h2 · microsoft/windows 11 23h2 · microsoft/windows 11 24h2 · microsoft/windows 11 25h2 · microsoft/windows 11 26h1 · microsoft/windows 11 26h2 · microsoft/windows server 2012 · microsoft/windows server 2016 · microsoft/windows server 2019 · microsoft/windows server 2022 · microsoft/windows server 2025
- Source
- secure@microsoft.com
EPSS moved from 1.5% on 14 October 2026 to 9.8% on 29 October 2026. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”.
CISA notes
Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines. https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-US/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96951 ; BOD 26-04: BOD 26-04: Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk | CISA ; Forensics Triage Requirements: BOD 26-04: Implementation Guidance for Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk | CISA ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96951
References
- https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96951Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-96951US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.