Microsoft has revealed details of a recently patched security vulnerability in Windows Admin Center that could enable attackers to elevate their privileges.
Windows Admin Center is a locally hosted, browser‑based management platform that allows administrators to manage Windows clients, servers, and clusters without requiring a cloud connection.
The high‑severity flaw identified as CVE‑2026‑26119 has a CVSS rating of 8.8 out of 10.
According to Microsoft’s advisory issued on February 17, 2026, “Improper authentication in Windows Admin Center allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network. The attacker would gain the rights of the user running the affected application.” The issue was discovered and reported by Semperis researcher Andrea Pierini. Microsoft noted that the vulnerability had already been fixed in Windows Admin Center version 2511, released in December 2025.
Although Microsoft has not indicated that the flaw has been exploited in real‑world attacks, it has assigned the vulnerability an “Exploitation More Likely” rating. Technical specifics about CVE‑2026‑26119 have not yet been publicly disclosed, but more information may be on the way. In a LinkedIn post, Pierini noted that under certain circumstances the vulnerability could “enable a full domain compromise starting from a standard user.”
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