cve-2026-42984

CVE-2026-42984 is an Important-rated Windows Kernel elevation-of-privilege vulnerability disclosed by Microsoft on June 9, 2026. The flaw is a use-after-free bug that requires an authenticated local attacker to win a race condition in order to gain SYSTEM privileges. It affects supported Windows client and server releases. Microsoft states exploitation is unlikely, not publicly disclosed, and not observed in the wild. Despite this, local kernel vulnerabilities like CVE-2026-42984 are significant because they can transform an initial foothold into full system compromise. Administrators should prioritize patching even when exploitation is deemed unlikely.