Jan 2026: DirectX Graphics Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CVE-2026-20836 Published on January 13, 2026

DirectX Graphics Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('race condition') in Graphics Kernel allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Vendor Advisory NVD

Weakness Type

What is a Race Condition Vulnerability?

The program contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, and the code sequence requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence that is operating concurrently.

CVE-2026-20836 has been classified to as a Race Condition vulnerability or weakness.

Products Associated with CVE-2026-20836

You can be notified by email with stack.watch whenever vulnerabilities like CVE-2026-20836 are published in these products:

Microsoft Windows 10

Microsoft Windows Server 2019

Microsoft Windows Server 2022

Microsoft Windows Server 2025

Microsoft Windows 11 25h2

Microsoft Windows 11 23h2

Microsoft Windows Server 23h2

Microsoft Windows 11 24h2

Microsoft Windows Server 2016

Affected Versions

Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607:

Version 10.0.14393.0 and below 10.0.14393.8783 is affected.

Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809:

Version 10.0.17763.0 and below 10.0.17763.8276 is affected.

Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H2:

Version 10.0.19044.0 and below 10.0.19044.6809 is affected.

Microsoft Windows 10 Version 22H2:

Version 10.0.19045.0 and below 10.0.19045.6809 is affected.

Microsoft Windows 11 version 22H3:

Version 10.0.22631.0 and below 10.0.22631.6491 is affected.

Microsoft Windows 11 Version 23H2:

Version 10.0.22631.0 and below 10.0.22631.6491 is affected.

Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2:

Version 10.0.26100.0 and below 10.0.26100.7623 is affected.

Microsoft Windows 11 Version 25H2:

Version 10.0.26200.0 and below 10.0.26200.7623 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2016:

Version 10.0.14393.0 and below 10.0.14393.8783 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation):

Version 10.0.14393.0 and below 10.0.14393.8783 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2019:

Version 10.0.17763.0 and below 10.0.17763.8276 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation):

Version 10.0.17763.0 and below 10.0.17763.8276 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2022:

Version 10.0.20348.0 and below 10.0.20348.4648 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation):

Version 10.0.25398.0 and below 10.0.25398.2092 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2025:

Version 10.0.26100.0 and below 10.0.26100.32230 is affected.

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation):

Version 10.0.26100.0 and below 10.0.26100.32230 is affected.

Exploit Probability

EPSS

0.03%

Percentile

6.63%