# CVE-2026-72979 — Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607

> As of 2026-10-08, CVE-2026-72979 is a CRITICAL-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607, CVSS v3.1 9.8, EPSS 0.9% (60.9th percentile). Threadlinqs Intelligence links 2 tracked threat campaigns to CVE-2026-72979, most recently “September 2026 Microsoft Patch Tuesday — Record 966+ Vulnerabilities with Two Actively Exploited Zero-Days (CVE-2026-81963, CVE-2026-85880) and Multiple Critical Wormable RCEs”.

**Last updated:** 2026-10-08

## What is CVE-2026-72979?

Use after free in Windows DHCP Server allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

The record classifies CVE-2026-72979 under weakness class [CWE-416](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cwe/CWE-416). Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw is reachable remotely over the network, needs no prior authentication, needs no user interaction, and has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability. 12 affected-product entries are recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 44 days ago.

## Severity and exploitation probability

- **CVSS v3.1 base score:** 9.8 — CRITICAL (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **EPSS (FIRST):** 0.9% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 60.9% of all scored CVEs
- **CISA KEV:** Not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- **Threadlinqs priority:** 7.3/10 — a Threadlinqs composite of the CVSS base score, the EPSS percentile and public exploit availability
- **Published:** 2026-09-08, last modified 2026-10-08

## Is CVE-2026-72979 being exploited?

It currently carries a trending score of 47 in the Threadlinqs vulnerability feed.

## Affected products and versions

- [Microsoft](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/vendors/microsoft): Windows 10 Version 1607, Windows 10 Version 1809, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation), Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation), Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation), Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation), Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2025

## How to fix CVE-2026-72979

No vendor patch reference has been recorded for CVE-2026-72979 in the tracked sources. Follow the references below for a fix, and treat the products listed above as exposed until the vendor states otherwise.

## Threat activity tracking CVE-2026-72979

2 tracked threats in the Threadlinqs corpus reference CVE-2026-72979, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.

- [September 2026 Microsoft Patch Tuesday — Record 966+ Vulnerabilities with Two Actively Exploited Zero-Days (CVE-2026-81963, CVE-2026-85880) and Multiple Critical Wormable RCEs](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-2398) — CRITICAL · 2026-09-08
- [Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday — 999 CVEs, 3 actively exploited zero-days (CVE-2026-85880, CVE-2026-81963, CVE-2026-85046)](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-2407) — CRITICAL · 2026-09-08

## Sources

Enriched from CVE.org, FIRST EPSS. Last verified by Threadlinqs on 2026-10-10.

**Vendor advisory and patch**

- [msrc.microsoft.com — vendor advisory](https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72979)

Canonical: https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cve/CVE-2026-72979
Full detection coverage and IOCs for threats exploiting CVE-2026-72979 via the Threadlinqs MCP server (Purple tier): https://intel.threadlinqs.com/mcp