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Windows Common Log File System Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

IdentifiersCVE-2026-40397CWE-191· Integer Underflow (Wrap or…

CVE-2026-40397 is an elevation-of-privilege vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) driver caused by an integer underflow (wrap or wraparound). Microsoft states that the flaw allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. The issue affects the Windows Common Log File System Driver and stems from improper handling of integer arithmetic that can underflow during driver processing, creating a path to privilege escalation on the local system.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows a local authenticated attacker to obtain SYSTEM privileges. With SYSTEM-level execution, an attacker can fully compromise the affected host, including accessing sensitive data, modifying system state, installing or executing arbitrary payloads with elevated rights, disabling security controls, and impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

No specific vendor mitigation was provided in the supplied content beyond installing the official Microsoft fix. In the absence of patching, reduce exposure by limiting local access and low-privilege account availability on affected systems, restricting execution of untrusted code, and monitoring for suspicious local privilege-escalation activity involving CLFS-related exploitation patterns, but these measures are compensating controls only and do not remediate the vulnerability.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the official Microsoft security update for CVE-2026-40397 affecting the Windows Common Log File System Driver. Microsoft indicates that an official fix was available at publication through the MSRC Security Update Guide. Prioritize patching because Microsoft assessed this vulnerability as "Exploitation More Likely" and CLFS has historically been a recurring local privilege-escalation target.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
Microsoft CorporationWindowsoperating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1607operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 1809operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 21h2operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 10 22h2operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 11 23h2operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 11 24h2operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 11 25h2operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows 11 26h1operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2012operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2012 R2operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2016operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2019operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2022operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2022 23h2operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 2025operating_system
Microsoft CorporationWindows Server 23h2operating_system

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.
Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.