---
id: "CVE-2026-116638"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-116638"]
title: "Windows: WinRE flaw lets attackers bypass UEFI/BIOS password protections"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["endpoints", "firmware", "infrastructure", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["no-uefi-password"]
published_at: "2026-10-26T19:16:31+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-26T19:32:06+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-26T19:34:01+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-116638", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-26T19:32:06+00:00"}]
---

# Windows: WinRE flaw lets attackers bypass UEFI/BIOS password protections

The Windows Recovery Environment in Windows 10 and 11 can be abused to get around firmware protections, including administrator-set UEFI/BIOS passwords. An attacker with physical or administrative access to a device may use WinRE boot mechanisms to reach system resources they should not.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- unknown

## Timeline

- 2026-10-26T19:32:06+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-116638

## From the sources

The Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) in Windows 10 and 11 may allow an attacker to bypass firmware security controls, including administrator-configured UEFI/BIOS passwords. An attacker with physical or administrative access to a device may be able to leverage WinRE-related boot mechanisms to circumvent firmware protections and gain unauthorized access to system resources.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_