Ethical Hacking News
Microsoft has disclosed a high-severity vulnerability in its Windows Admin Center software that could allow an attacker to escalate their privileges. This vulnerability, CVE-2026-26119, carries a CVSS score of 8.8 out of a maximum of 10.0 and was patched by Microsoft in version 2511 released in December 2025. As security experts warn, this vulnerability poses significant potential for widespread exploitation if left unpatched.
The Microsoft Windows Admin Center has a high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2026-26119) with a CVSS score of 8.8, which enables attackers to escalate privileges and take control of the entire network. The vulnerability was discovered by Semperis researcher Andrea Pierini due to an improper authentication process in Windows Admin Center. Exploiting this vulnerability allows attackers to gain access to sensitive data and manipulate the system to their advantage, particularly concerning for organizations that use Windows Admin Center without connecting to the cloud. Micorsoft has patched the vulnerability in version 2511 released in December 2025, but security experts warn of its potential for widespread exploitation if not addressed. Organizations using Windows Admin Center are advised to take immediate action and ensure their networks are secure by installing the latest patch and conducting regular vulnerability assessments.
Microsoft has disclosed a high-severity vulnerability, CVE-2026-26119, in its Windows Admin Center software that could allow an attacker to escalate their privileges. This vulnerability is considered critical because it enables authorized attackers to take control of the entire network by obtaining the rights of the user running the affected application.
The vulnerability was discovered and reported by Semperis researcher Andrea Pierini, who identified a flaw in the improper authentication process within Windows Admin Center. When an attacker exploits this vulnerability, they can gain access to sensitive data and manipulate the system to their advantage. This is particularly concerning because Windows Admin Center is a widely used tool for managing Windows clients, servers, and clusters without connecting to the cloud.
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 8.8 out of a maximum of 10.0, which indicates that it has significant potential impact. Microsoft credits Andrea Pierini with discovering and reporting the vulnerability, and it was patched by the company in Windows Admin Center version 2511 released in December 2025.
While Microsoft does not believe this vulnerability is currently being exploited in the wild, security experts have expressed concern about its potential for widespread use. According to Pierini, this vulnerability could "allow a full domain compromise starting from a standard user" under certain conditions.
Microsoft has issued an advisory to inform users of the patch available and has taken steps to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. However, it is essential for organizations that use Windows Admin Center to take immediate action to ensure their networks are secure.
As a best practice, security teams should prioritize ensuring that all software applications have the latest patches installed and conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify potential threats before they can be exploited by malicious actors.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/A-Critical-Windows-Admin-Center-Vulnerability-Escalating-Privileges-and-Compromising-Networks-ehn.shtml
https://thehackernews.com/2026/02/microsoft-patches-cve-2026-26119.html
https://windowsforum.com/threads/cve-2026-26119-privilege-escalation-in-windows-admin-center-on-management-hosts.401576/
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26119
https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2026-26119/
Published: Thu Feb 19 13:45:20 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
