Windows Deployment Services Hands-Free Deployment RCE
CVE-2026-0386 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Windows Deployment Services (WDS), specifically in the Hands-Free Deployment functionality. The issue stems from improper access control in the handling of Unattend.xml answer files, which are transmitted over an unauthenticated RPC channel and exposed via the RemoteInstall share in native WDS deployment scenarios. Because these files can contain sensitive deployment configuration data, including credentials, an unauthenticated attacker on an adjacent network can intercept the file during network-based OS deployment and use the exposed information or inject malicious content that executes during the deployment process. Microsoft states the issue affects Windows Server versions from Server 2008 through Server 2025, including Server 2016, 2019, 2022, and version 23H2.
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Impact, mitigation & remediation
What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.
Impact
What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.
Mitigation
If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.
Remediation
Patch, then assume compromise.
Exploits
No valid public exploits. Mallory filtered out 1 candidate as fakes, detection scripts, or README-only repos.
All candidate exploits were filtered out by Mallory's validation.
Affected products & vendors
Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.
Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.
Recent activity
20 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
A vulnerability affecting Windows Deployment Services (WDS) that is mitigated in KB5082063 by disabling the Hands-Free Deployment feature by default.
A specific vulnerability referenced in Microsoft hardening guidance for Windows Deployment Services (WDS) Hands-Free Deployment and related Kerberos/KDC encryption behavior changes.
A vulnerability related to Windows Deployment Services Hands-Free Deployment, addressed by disabling the feature by default and no longer supporting it.
A critical remote code execution vulnerability in Windows Deployment Services (WDS) caused by improper access control exposing Unattend.xml over an unauthenticated RPC channel during hands-free deployments.
The version that knows your environment.
Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.
Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.
Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.