Link following in Windows and Windows Server - CVE-2026-45586
Published: June 12, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU134447
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4.0: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-45586
CWE-ID: CWE-59
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vendor: Microsoft
Affected software:
Windows
Windows Server
Windows
Windows Server
Detailed vulnerability description
The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.
The vulnerability exists due to an insecure link following issue in Windows Collaborative Translation Framework (CTFMON). A local user can create a specially crafted symbolic link to a critical file on the system and overwrite it with privileges of the application.
How to mitigate CVE-2026-45586
Install updates from vendor's website.