In brief: A proof-of-concept for the AD vulnerability Certighost is in circulation, requiring rapid prioritization of the July patch for affected infrastructures.
Microsoft has closed an Active Directory vulnerability that enables privilege escalation. A functional proof-of-concept exploit is now circulating, which the company warns against.
Microsoft closed the Active Directory vulnerability Certighost on July’s patch day. The vulnerability allows attackers to escalate privileges, moving from lower-level privileges to elevated system rights.
The company now warns of the availability of a proof-of-concept exploit. With such functional proofs of concept, the time to exploitation for malicious purposes typically decreases significantly. For CISOs, this signals increased priority in patch deployment planning.
Organizations deploying Active Directory should apply the July patch promptly. Systems without dedicated patch management or in air-gapped environments require alternative mitigation measures if such measures are available.
Source: www.heise.de · Published 28 July 2026
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