Microsoft Patches Windows Shell Zero-Day (CVE-2026-96951) Exploited to Bypass Mark of the Web
Microsoft released an urgent patch in the October 2026 Patch Tuesday cycle to address an actively exploited Windows Shell zero-day that allows attackers to bypass Mark of the Web (MOTW) protections. Tracked as CVE-2026-96951 and rated Important with a CVSS score of 8.8, Microsoft confirmed exploitation had already occurred when the update shipped. The vendor’s “Exploitation Detected” assessment raises this from a theoretical risk to an immediate operational concern for…