privilege escalation Archives

Winsage

July 14, 2026

Microsoft rolls out massive Windows 11 security update with 416 fixes

Microsoft released its July 2026 Patch Tuesday cumulative updates for Windows 11, addressing numerous security vulnerabilities and enhancing Secure Boot functionalities. The updates include: - KB5101650 for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2, updating systems to builds 26200.8875 and 26100.8875. - KB5101649 for Windows 11 26H1, updating devices to build 28000.2525. The release addresses a total of 622 Microsoft Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), including: - 416 vulnerabilities in Windows. - Fixes for Microsoft Office, Edge, Exchange Server, SharePoint Server, SQL Server, Defender, and Azure services. Key vulnerabilities fixed include: - CVE-2026-50661: A BitLocker Security Feature Bypass vulnerability. - CVE-2026-56155: An AD FS Elevation of Privilege vulnerability that has been exploited. - CVE-2026-56164: A SharePoint Server Elevation of Privilege vulnerability. The updates also introduce new Secure Boot certificates, rectify issues from previous patches affecting third-party applications, and incorporate curl 8.21.0 for security improvements. Users are advised to back up data before installation, which requires a system reboot.

Tech Optimizer

July 11, 2026

Microsoft closes RoguePlanet vulnerability in Defender: SYSTEM privileges via the antivirus engine

A vulnerability known as RoguePlanet was identified in Microsoft Defender, tracked as CVE-2026-50656. This flaw allows local privilege escalation to the NT AUTHORITYSYSTEM account, requiring an attacker to have local code execution capabilities. It can be exploited through methods such as opening malicious email attachments. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-59: “Improper Link Resolution Before File Access” and involves a race condition that affects the Defender engine's operations. RoguePlanet was disclosed by security researcher Nightmare-Eclipse on June 10, 2026, and confirmed by various security firms. Microsoft released a fix in version 1.1.26060.3008 of the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine, which should be installed automatically in standard Windows configurations. Users can verify their engine version using PowerShell. The vulnerability affects both Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems with the June 2026 security updates, and disabling real-time protection does not reliably mitigate it.

Winsage

June 15, 2026

New Windows Zero‑Day Flaws Target Defender and BitLocker

A cybersecurity researcher known as “Nightmare Eclipse” has revealed two zero-day exploits threatening Windows systems: RoguePlanet and GreatXML. RoguePlanet targets Microsoft Defender, allowing attackers to execute privileged actions and gain SYSTEM-level access on Windows machines. It is a local privilege escalation vulnerability that remains effective on fully updated systems. GreatXML claims to bypass BitLocker disk encryption by manipulating the Windows Recovery Environment, potentially granting access to protected files. However, its effectiveness may be overstated, as it might require administrator-level access. Microsoft advises organizations to implement security updates, treat lost or accessible devices as high-risk, enforce stricter policies, and monitor threat intelligence to mitigate exposure to these vulnerabilities.

Winsage

June 12, 2026

Microsoft’s bug-hunting nemesis extends vendetta with more zero-day attacks — Nightmare Eclipse publishes RoguePlanet and GreatXML local privilege escalation exploits

Nightmare-Eclipse, also known as Chaotic-Eclipse, has introduced two new exploits: RoguePlanet and GreatXML. RoguePlanet exploits a vulnerability in Windows Defender, allowing attackers to gain SYSTEM user access privileges by tricking a user into executing a script. This access enables attackers to execute commands beyond standard Administrator capabilities, siphon sensitive data, and install malware. GreatXML provides a method for bypassing BitLocker encryption by creating a specially crafted "unattend.xml" file and a "Recovery" directory on the Windows recovery partition. Microsoft has shifted its stance from threatening legal action against Eclipse and is now monitoring the situation, while Eclipse has postponed a planned mass disclosure of zero-day Windows vulnerabilities initially set for July 14 due to delays in developing RoguePlanet.

Winsage

June 11, 2026

New GreatXML Exploit Bypasses Windows BitLocker via Recovery Partition XML Files

Security researcher Chaotic Eclipse has released a Windows BitLocker bypass tool named GreatXML, following a previously disclosed exploit targeting Microsoft Defender. The discovery was made accidentally and took four hours. A critical vulnerability exists for users who have used the Windows Defender Offline Scan feature, making them susceptible to the BitLocker bypass. The exploit involves copying an XML file and a recovery folder to the recovery partition and rebooting into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). If the Defender offline scan was not initiated, users must log in to start it or find a way to boot into WinRE in offline scan state. GreatXML is the second BitLocker bypass tool released by Chaotic Eclipse, following the earlier exploit known as YellowKey (CVE-2026-45585), which has been patched by Microsoft.

Winsage

June 11, 2026

Nightmare Eclipse drops claimed BitLocker bypass for Microsoft Windows

Nightmare Eclipse has released a new zero-day vulnerability exploit called GreatXML, which allows unrestricted access to BitLocker volumes on Windows systems that have previously run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan. This discovery was made in four hours and adds to Nightmare Eclipse's total of eight zero-day vulnerabilities. Microsoft is investigating the claims related to another exploit, RoguePlanet, but has not commented on GreatXML or provided a patch timeline. Nightmare Eclipse, rumored to be a former Microsoft employee, has faced backlash from the security community for previous disclosures and has vowed to continue releasing vulnerabilities. Security expert Will Dormann has raised concerns about the practicality of the GreatXML exploit, noting that it requires administrative access and questioning the accuracy of the instructions provided by Nightmare.

Winsage

June 11, 2026

New Windows Zero-Day Exploit ‘RoguePlanet’ Released

A new zero-day exploit named RoguePlanet has been discovered targeting Microsoft’s Windows operating system, disclosed by security researcher Nightmare Eclipse. The exploit allows local privilege escalation (LPE) by exploiting a race condition in Microsoft Defender and can facilitate remote code execution (RCE) through deceptive .vhd(x) files. RoguePlanet may also bypass BitLocker encryption. The proof-of-concept has been tested on Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems but does not function on Windows Server, although the researcher believes all Windows Server versions are vulnerable. Following its release, RoguePlanet was confirmed by other researchers to spawn a command prompt with SYSTEM privileges on patched computers. This disclosure comes after Microsoft released patches for earlier exploits by Nightmare Eclipse, including GreenPlasma and YellowKey. The researcher has expressed dissatisfaction with Microsoft’s vulnerability disclosure process, alleging legal action against them and the suspension of their GitHub account, leading to the publication of RoguePlanet under a new account.

Winsage

June 11, 2026

Microsoft Patches Record 206 Flaws, Including Three Zero-Days and Critical RCE Bugs

Microsoft announced an update addressing 206 security vulnerabilities, including 39 classified as Critical and 167 as Important. The vulnerabilities include 63 privilege escalation, 56 remote code execution, 30 information disclosure, 27 spoofing, 20 security feature bypass, 7 denial-of-service, and 3 tampering vulnerabilities. Notable critical flaws include CVE-2026-45657 (use-after-free in Windows Kernel, CVSS score 9.8), CVE-2026-47291 (integer overflow in Windows HTTP.sys, CVSS score 9.8), and CVE-2026-44815 (stack-based buffer overflow in Windows DHCP Client, CVSS score 9.8). Microsoft also addressed vulnerabilities related to BitLocker bypass (CVE-2026-45585 and CVE-2026-50507) and introduced a new registry setting to mitigate risks associated with CVE-2026-49160 (denial-of-service vulnerability). The increase in patches is attributed to the use of artificial intelligence in vulnerability discovery, with the current year's reported vulnerabilities surpassing the total from all of 2018.

Winsage

June 11, 2026

Windows 11 Sucks Slightly Less Now, Thanks To A June Update

The June update for Windows 11, identified as KB5094126 (OS Builds 26200.8655 and 26100.8655), introduces significant enhancements and numerous bug fixes and security patches. A key feature is a low-latency profile that improves responsiveness of core system elements like the Start Menu and Search by allowing the CPU to quickly reach maximum clock speed upon user interaction. This update also refines the Start Menu, improves app launch speeds, and addresses longstanding issues such as faster downloads from the Windows Store and optimized Windows Search results. New features include multi-app camera support, Shared Audio functionality for streaming to multiple Bluetooth devices, and the ability to personalize user folder names during installation. Additionally, the update resolves 206 security vulnerabilities, including a critical kernel-level remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2026-45657) with a threat score of 9.8.

Winsage

June 2, 2026

PHANTOMPULSE RAT Uses UAC Bypass to Hijack Windows Systems

PHANTOMPULSE is a remote access trojan (RAT) used as a final payload in multi-stage attacks targeting Windows environments. It employs advanced post-exploitation techniques, including process injection, User Account Control (UAC) bypass, and a decentralized blockchain-based command-and-control (C2) mechanism. The malware utilizes three process injection techniques: module stomping, manual DLL mapping, and debug-driven execution. It avoids detection by using direct system calls instead of standard Windows APIs and incorporates a hardware breakpoint mechanism to disable security protections like AMSI and ETW. PHANTOMPULSE retrieves its C2 server address from Ethereum-based transaction data but has a vulnerability that allows defenders to hijack communication. It achieves persistence through scheduled tasks and supports self-healing capabilities. Privilege escalation is done using the "schuac" UAC bypass technique. The malware conducts system reconnaissance focusing on cryptocurrency wallets and messaging apps but does not directly steal credentials. It shows signs of AI-assisted development and shares tactics with DPRK-aligned threat groups, particularly in targeting cryptocurrency platforms.