📄 Description (English)
Improper input validation in Microsoft PowerShell allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature locally.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-26143 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft PowerShell that allows local attackers to bypass security features through improper input validation. With a CVSS score of 7.8, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations relying on PowerShell for system administration and automation. The absence of a patch and available exploit makes immediate mitigation through compensating controls critical for Saudi organizations.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 29, 2026 09:05
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability primarily impacts Saudi government agencies, banking sector (SAMA-regulated institutions), and large enterprises using Windows infrastructure for critical operations. Government entities under NCA oversight, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and energy sector companies (including ARAMCO subsidiaries) face elevated risk. Local privilege escalation and security feature bypass could enable unauthorized access to sensitive systems, particularly affecting administrative workstations and automation servers managing critical infrastructure.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government and Public Administration
Banking and Financial Services
Healthcare
Energy and Utilities
Telecommunications
Large Enterprises with Windows Infrastructure
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
Immediate Actions:
1. Inventory all PowerShell deployments across your organization, particularly administrative and automation servers
2. Restrict PowerShell access to authorized users only through Group Policy (Restricted Groups)
3. Disable PowerShell v2 if not required; enforce PowerShell v5+ with enhanced logging
4. Enable PowerShell Script Block Logging and Module Logging via Group Policy
5. Implement application whitelisting to restrict PowerShell execution
Compensating Controls:
6. Deploy Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies to restrict PowerShell script execution
7. Monitor PowerShell execution logs for suspicious input patterns and security feature bypass attempts
8. Implement Just-In-Time (JIT) admin access for PowerShell-capable accounts
9. Use Constrained Language Mode for non-administrative PowerShell sessions
10. Monitor for CVE-2026-26143 exploitation attempts in Event Viewer (Event ID 4688, 4103, 4104)
Detection Rules:
- Alert on PowerShell execution with suspicious input validation bypass patterns
- Monitor for attempts to disable PowerShell security features (ExecutionPolicy changes)
- Track unusual PowerShell script block activity from local accounts
- Flag any bypass of Constrained Language Mode or AppLocker policies
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. قم بحصر جميع نشرات PowerShell عبر مؤسستك، خاصة خوادم الإدارة والأتمتة
2. قيد الوصول إلى PowerShell للمستخدمين المصرح لهم فقط من خلال Group Policy
3. عطّل PowerShell v2 إذا لم تكن مطلوبة؛ فرض PowerShell v5+ مع تسجيل محسّن
4. فعّل PowerShell Script Block Logging و Module Logging عبر Group Policy
5. طبّق القائمة البيضاء للتطبيقات لتقييد تنفيذ PowerShell
الضوابط البديلة:
6. نشّر سياسات Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) لتقييد تنفيذ سكريبتات PowerShell
7. راقب سجلات تنفيذ PowerShell للأنماط المريبة ومحاولات تجاوز ميزات الأمان
8. طبّق وصول المسؤول في الوقت المناسب (JIT) للحسابات القادرة على PowerShell
9. استخدم Constrained Language Mode لجلسات PowerShell غير الإدارية
10. راقب محاولات استغلال CVE-2026-26143 في Event Viewer (معرّف الحدث 4688، 4103، 4104)
قواعد الكشف:
- تنبيهات على تنفيذ PowerShell بأنماط مريبة لتجاوز التحقق من المدخلات
- مراقبة محاولات تعطيل ميزات أمان PowerShell (تغييرات ExecutionPolicy)
- تتبع نشاط كتلة سكريبت PowerShell غير المعتاد من الحسابات المحلية
- وضع علامة على أي تجاوز لـ Constrained Language Mode أو سياسات AppLocker
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Access Control Policies
ECC 2024 A.8.1.1 - User Endpoint Protection
ECC 2024 A.8.2.1 - Malware Protection
ECC 2024 A.8.3.1 - Logging and Monitoring
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-2 - Software Inventory
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access Control
SAMA CSF PR.PT-1 - Security Awareness and Training
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - System Monitoring
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.15 - Access Control
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.1 - User Endpoint Devices
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.22 - Monitoring Activities
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.23 - Administrator and Operator Logs
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 2.1 - Configuration Standards
PCI DSS 7.1 - Access Control Implementation
PCI DSS 10.2 - User Activity Logging
🔗 References & Sources 1