Summary: CISA has added CVE-2026-20805—an information disclosure vulnerability in the Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM)—to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. The flaw allows local attackers to leak sensitive memory addresses, which is the critical first step for defeating modern OS protections like ASLR in a multi-stage attack.
Business Impact: While categorized as “Info Disclosure,” its inclusion in the KEV list indicates it is being used in active ransomware “chains.” For organizations in Bahrain, this makes their Windows-based workstations prime targets for initial stages of a persistent intrusion.
Why It Happened: The vulnerability is an uninitialized memory read in the DWM service. Attackers are using this to “map” the system memory before launching a more destructive code-execution exploit.
Recommended Executive Action: Ensure the January 2026 Patch Tuesday updates are applied to all Windows 11 and Windows 10 endpoints by the Jan 20 deadline. Prioritize patching for systems used by finance and executive leadership.
Hashtags: #CISA #KEV #WindowsSecurity #PatchTuesday #VulnerabilityManagement #CyberHygiene