Sql Server 2016Application · Microsoft

CVE-2026-33120

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-04-14

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 13.0.6485.1 / 13.0.7080.1 or later.

See remediation →

94/100

Remediation priority · Urgent

Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description

NVD · unedited

Untrusted pointer dereference in SQL Server allows an authorized attacker to execute code over a network.

In the news

Third-party coverage

covered by 1 outlet this week · latest 4mo ago

Surfaced from public web coverage — external links open in a new tab.

Technical summary

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

An untrusted pointer dereference vulnerability in Microsoft SQL Server allows an authenticated attacker to achieve remote code execution by sending specially crafted network requests to the SQL Server service.

MitigationApply the relevant Microsoft SQL Server security update immediately. Until patched, restrict network access to SQL Server instances to trusted IPs and ensure attackers with valid credentials cannot escalate privileges.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Sql Server 2016Application

Affected:>= 13.0.6300.2, < 13.0.6485.1>= 13.0.7000.253, < 13.0.7080.1

Sql Server 2017Application

Affected:>= 14.0.1000.169, < 14.0.2105.1>= 14.0.3006.16, < 14.0.3525.1

Sql Server 2019Application

Affected:>= 15.0.2000.5, < 15.0.2165.1>= 15.0.4003.23, < 15.0.4465.1

Sql Server 2022Application

Affected:>= 16.0.1000.6, < 16.0.1175.1>= 16.0.4003.1, < 16.0.4250.1

Sql Server 2025Application

Affected:>= 17.0.1000.7, < 17.0.1110.1>= 17.0.4006.2, < 17.0.4030.1

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges: Low
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

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

Am I affected?

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

Identify installed SQL Server version

Run query: SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion'), SERVERPROPERTY('ProductLevel'), SERVERPROPERTY('Edition'); or check SQL Server Error Logs in the LOG folder

Affected if Version falls within any of these ranges: 2016 (13.0.6300.2 to 13.0.6485.1, 13.0.7000.253 to 13.0.7080.1), 2017 (14.0.1000.169 to 14.0.2105.1, 14.0.3006.16 to 14.0.3525.1), 2019 (15.0.2000.5 to 15.0.2165.1, 15.0.4003.23 to 15.0.4465.1), 2022 (16.0.1000.6 to 16.0.1175.1, 16.0.4003.1 to 16.0.4250.1),
Confirm SQL Server major version

Run query: SELECT LEFT(CAST(SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion') AS VARCHAR(20)),2); to get the major version number (13=2016, 14=2017, 15=2019, 16=2022, 17=2025)

Affected if Major version is 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 and the full version matches the affected ranges above
Verify remote network connectivity is enabled

Check SQL Server Configuration Manager under SQL Server Network Configuration > Protocols for your instance; confirm TCP/IP protocol is enabled

Affected if TCP/IP or other network protocols are enabled, allowing remote connections (the CVE describes network-based attack)
Check authentication mode in use

Run query: SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('AuthenticationMode'); or check registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLXX.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQLServer\LoginMode

Affected if SQL Server authentication (mixed mode) is enabled, or Windows authentication with remote login access permitted

Your SQL Server instance is affected if it runs any version within the listed ranges AND accepts remote network connections from authenticated users.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 13.0.6485.1 / 13.0.7080.1 / 14.0.2105.1 or later

Fixed in 13.0.6485.113.0.7080.114.0.2105.1

Interim mitigation

Apply the relevant Microsoft SQL Server security update immediately. Until patched, restrict network access to SQL Server instances to trusted IPs and ensure attackers with valid credentials cannot escalate privileges.

Recommended fix High confidence

SQL Server 2016→13.0.7080.1+; SQL Server 2017→14.0.3525.1+; SQL Server 2019→15.0.4465.1+; SQL Server 2022→16.0.4250.1+; SQL Server 2025→17.0.4030.1+ (or migrate to latest supported version)

1. Identify the current SQL Server version by running: SELECT @@VERSION;
2. Determine which version branch (x.0.yyyy or x.0.4000+) your current instance is on
3. For SQL Server 2016: Upgrade to version 13.0.7080.1 or later (or migrate to a supported SQL Server version)
4. For SQL Server 2017: Upgrade to version 14.0.3525.1 or later (or migrate to SQL Server 2019/2022)
5. For SQL Server 2019: Upgrade to version 15.0.4465.1 or later (or migrate to SQL Server 2022/2025)
6. For SQL Server 2022: Upgrade to version 16.0.4250.1 or later (or migrate to SQL Server 2025)
7. For SQL Server 2025: Upgrade to version 17.0.4030.1 or later
8. Download the appropriate Cumulative Update (CU) from Microsoft Update Catalog or use Windows Update

Caveat Standard SQL Server upgrade considerations apply: test in staging environment first, backup databases, review deprecated features in release notes

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Sql Server 2016 Scoped from the published advisory

Consultation2.0 h
Implementation3.0 h
Testing4.0 h
Review / QA2.0 h

11.0 hours of engineering $1,900

Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,040.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally

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References

Primary sources

msrc.microsoft.comVendor Advisory
nvd.nist.govNVD record

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-33120 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2026-33120?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data

At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 13.0.6485.1 / 13.0.7080.1 or later

Severity 8.8 High

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 0.7%

Affects: Sql Server 2016

Remediation

A high-priority fix

Fix this in Sql Server 2016 11 hrs · Moderate

Typical engagement from $1,900

Get a fix See the full breakdown ↓

A high-priority vulnerability. Send your environment and a specialist will scope CVE-2026-33120 and return a fixed quote and timeline.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

In the news

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

Check your environment

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Am I affected?

Remediation

References