CVE-2026-20856 | Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Improper input validation in Windows Server Update Service allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

Published: 2026-01-13 Last update: 2026-01-15 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2026-20856 is rated Moderate Risk (46.4/100): CVSS High severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.18%). Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2026-20856

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-05-15 0.15% 0.18% +0.04%
2 2026-02-18 0.17% 0.15% -0.02%
3 2026-01-16 — 0.17% —

Full EPSS history (4 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2026-20856

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
8.1 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 2.2 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2026-20856

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2026-20856

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
microsoft windows_10_1607 < 10.0.14393.8783 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
microsoft windows_10_1607 < 10.0.14393.8783 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
microsoft windows_10_1809 < 10.0.17763.8276 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*
microsoft windows_10_1809 < 10.0.17763.8276 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*
microsoft windows_10_21h2 < 10.0.19044.6809 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_21h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_10_22h2 < 10.0.19045.6809 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_22h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_11_23h2 < 10.0.22631.6491 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_11_24h2 < 10.0.26100.7623 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_24h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_11_25h2 < 10.0.26200.7623 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_25h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_server_2012 — cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_server_2012 r2 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:r2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_server_2016 < 10.0.14393.8783 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_server_2019 < 10.0.17763.8276 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2019:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_server_2022 < 10.0.20348.4648 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2022:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_server_2022_23h2 < 10.0.25398.2092 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2022_23h2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
microsoft windows_server_2025 < 10.0.26100.32230 cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2025:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2026-20856

cvelogic Threat Intelligence