May 2026: Microsoft Defender Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CVE-2026-41091 Published on May 20, 2026
Microsoft Defender Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Microsoft Defender allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Known Exploited Vulnerability
This Microsoft Defender Link Following Vulnerability is part of CISA's list of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities. Microsoft Defender contains a link following vulnerability that allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
The following remediation steps are recommended / required by June 3, 2026: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Weakness Type
What is an insecure temporary file Vulnerability?
The software attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.
CVE-2026-41091 has been classified to as an insecure temporary file vulnerability or weakness.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-41091
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Affected Versions
Microsoft Malware Protection Engine:- Version 1.1.0.0 and below 1.1.26040.8 is affected.
Exploit Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.