---
id: CVE-2026-20928
title: Windows Recovery Environment Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
summary: >-
  Improper removal of sensitive information before storage or transfer in
  Windows Recovery Environment Agent allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a
  security feature with a physical attack.
severity: medium
cvss: 4.6
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:U/RL:O/RC:C'
cvssSource: cna
cwe:
  - CWE-212
vendor: Microsoft
product: Windows 10 Version 1607
affected:
  - windows_10_version_1607 >= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.9060
  - windows_10_version_1809 >= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.8644
  - windows_10_version_21h2 >= 10.0.19044.0 < 10.0.19044.7184
  - windows_10_version_22h2 >= 10.0.19045.0 < 10.0.19045.7184
  - windows_11_version_22h3 >= 10.0.22631.0 < 10.0.22631.6936
  - windows_11_version_23h2 >= 10.0.22631.0 < 10.0.22631.6936
  - windows_11_version_24h2 >= 10.0.26100.0 < 10.0.26100.8246
  - windows_11_version_25h2 >= 10.0.26200.0 < 10.0.26200.8246
  - windows_11_version_26h1 >= 10.0.28000.0 < 10.0.28000.1836
  - windows_server_2016 >= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.9060
  - >-
    windows_server_2016_server_core_installation >= 10.0.14393.0 <
    10.0.14393.9060
  - windows_server_2019 >= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.8644
  - >-
    windows_server_2019_server_core_installation >= 10.0.17763.0 <
    10.0.17763.8644
  - windows_server_2022 >= 10.0.20348.0 < 10.0.20348.5020
  - >-
    windows_server_2022_23h2_edition_server_core_installation >= 10.0.25398.0 <
    10.0.25398.2274
  - windows_server_2025 >= 10.0.26100.0 < 10.0.26100.32690
  - >-
    windows_server_2025_server_core_installation >= 10.0.26100.0 <
    10.0.26100.32690
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: partial
  timestamp: '2026-04-15T10:41:12.577586Z'
published: '2026-04-14'
updated: '2026-09-25'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-25T17:25:36.025Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-20928'
references:
  - url: 'https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20928'
    label: Windows Recovery Environment Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
tags:
  - cve.org
epss: 0.0043
epssPercentile: 0.34604
ingestedAt: '2026-09-25T18:14:20.438Z'
---

## Overview

Improper removal of sensitive information before storage or transfer in Windows Recovery Environment Agent allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature with a physical attack.

## Affected

- `windows_10_version_1607 >= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.9060`
- `windows_10_version_1809 >= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.8644`
- `windows_10_version_21h2 >= 10.0.19044.0 < 10.0.19044.7184`
- `windows_10_version_22h2 >= 10.0.19045.0 < 10.0.19045.7184`
- `windows_11_version_22h3 >= 10.0.22631.0 < 10.0.22631.6936`
- `windows_11_version_23h2 >= 10.0.22631.0 < 10.0.22631.6936`
- `windows_11_version_24h2 >= 10.0.26100.0 < 10.0.26100.8246`
- `windows_11_version_25h2 >= 10.0.26200.0 < 10.0.26200.8246`
- `windows_11_version_26h1 >= 10.0.28000.0 < 10.0.28000.1836`
- `windows_server_2016 >= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.9060`
- `windows_server_2016_server_core_installation >= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.9060`
- `windows_server_2019 >= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.8644`
- `windows_server_2019_server_core_installation >= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.8644`
- `windows_server_2022 >= 10.0.20348.0 < 10.0.20348.5020`
- `windows_server_2022_23h2_edition_server_core_installation >= 10.0.25398.0 < 10.0.25398.2274`
- `windows_server_2025 >= 10.0.26100.0 < 10.0.26100.32690`
- `windows_server_2025_server_core_installation >= 10.0.26100.0 < 10.0.26100.32690`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.