PatchTheCVECVE-2026-18485: There is a local privilege escalation vulnerability recently discovered in the NI-PAL kernel driver. This may
CVE-2026-18485 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.8) affecting affected software. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.
There is a local privilege escalation vulnerability recently discovered in the NI-PAL kernel driver. This may allow a local, authenticated user to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability affects NI-PAL 26.3.1 and prior versions running on Microsoft Windows.
Why this priority
- High severity
No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.
Risk facts
| CVSS score | 7.8 (High) |
| Attack vector | Local |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges needed | Low |
| User interaction | None |
| EPSS exploit chance | 0.2% (top 94%) |
| CISA exploited list | No |
| Weakness | CWE-1285 |
| Published | 2026-08-05 |
| Last modified | 2026-10-23 |
Timeline
- Published CVE record published
- Updated Record last modified
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.
Quick answers
How do I fix CVE-2026-18485?
No fixed release is listed yet. Watch the vendor advisory and apply any mitigation shown on this page.
Is CVE-2026-18485 being exploited?
CVE-2026-18485 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.
What does CVE-2026-18485 affect?
CVE-2026-18485 affects affected software. Severity is high (CVSS 7.8). There is a local privilege escalation vulnerability recently discovered in the NI-PAL kernel driver. This may allow a local, authenticated user to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability affects NI-PAL 26.3.1 an
How urgent is CVE-2026-18485?
Priority 29/100. High severity