CVE-2026-21265
CWE-1329Published: January 13, 2026· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
Windows Secure Boot stores Microsoft certificates in the UEFI KEK and DB. These original certificates are approaching expiration, and devices containing affected certificate versions must update them to maintain Secure Boot functionality and avoid compromising security by losing security fixes related to Windows boot manager or Secure Boot.
The operating system’s certificate update protection mechanism relies on firmware components that might contain defects, which can cause certificate trust updates to fail or behave unpredictably. This leads to potential disruption of the Secure Boot trust chain and requires careful validation and deployment to restore intended security guarantees.
Certificate Authority (CA)
Location
Purpose
Expiration Date
Microsoft Corporation KEK CA 2011
KEK
Signs updates to the DB and DBX
06/24/2026
Microsoft Corporation UEFI CA 2011
DB
Signs 3rd party boot loaders, Option ROMs, etc.
06/27/2026
Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011
DB
Signs the Windows Boot Manager
10/19/2026
For more information see this CVE and Windows Secure Boot certificate expiration and CA updates.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-21265 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 6.4.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (1)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-1329)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-21265 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts