CVE-2026-8501 (CVSS 7.8)

Description

Improper access control in the PCTCore64.sys Windows kernel driver from PC Tools Internet Security allows user-mode processes to access the PCTCoreDriver WDM device interface and invoke privileged IOCTL handlers. A local attacker with the ability to access or load the affected driver can exploit this vulnerability to perform sensitive and privileged operations on the target system.

Is your site exposed to CVE-2026-8501?

Run a free security scan — no signup, results in seconds.

CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0016

Probability of exploitation

0.06%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-782 CWE-782

References

Other References

https://kb.cert.org/vuls/id/158530 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/app-control-for-business/design/microsoft-recommended-driver-block-rules https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/secauthz/security-descriptor-definition-language https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/158530

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-8501? +

Improper access control in the PCTCore64.sys Windows kernel driver from PC Tools Internet Security allows user-mode processes to access the PCTCoreDriver WDM device interface and invoke privileged IOCTL handlers. A local attacker with the ability to access or load the affected driver can exploit this vulnerability to perform sensitive and privileged operations on the target system. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-8501? +

CVE-2026-8501 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0016, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-8501? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

Related Vulnerabilities

CVE-2025-15641

Netskope was notified about a potential gap in its Netskope Client for Windows systems where a malicious insider with administrative …

CVE-2025-7771

ThrottleStop.sys, a legitimate driver, exposes two IOCTL interfaces that allow arbitrary read and write access to physical memory via the …

CVE-2026-6737

An Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control vulnerability in AsusPTPFilter allows a local user to bypass driver security mechanisms and …

CVE-2019-25764

**UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED** Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control in the ASUS AURA SYNC driver allows a local user to …

CVE-2026-8797

An access control deficiency vulnerability exists in ExpressUpdate Agent for Windows. If a malicious user gains access to the product, …

CVE-2024-4196 10.0

An improper input validation vulnerability was discovered in Avaya IP Office that could allow remote command or code execution via …

CVE-2026-8501