Researcher leaks two Windows zero-days
Disgruntled researcher "Nightmare-Eclipse" released unpatched BitLocker bypass and privilege escalation exploits for Windows 11 on GitHub. The leaks are part of an ongoing protest against Microsoft's vulnerability response process and follow the weaponized use of previous disclosures.
This "vigilante disclosure" campaign creates a massive headache for IT admins, as the BitLocker bypass (YellowKey) effectively functions as a physical-access backdoor.
- –YellowKey exploits an undocumented WinRE component to bypass encryption even in TPM+PIN configurations
- –GreenPlasma targets the ctfmon.exe subsystem for local privilege escalation to SYSTEM
- –The researcher's "Patch Tuesday leaks" threat forces Microsoft into a reactive, high-stakes patching cycle
- –Confirmation of real-world weaponization by threat actors underscores the immediate risk of these public PoCs
- –This incident highlights the breakdown in trust between individual researchers and corporate bug bounty programs
DISCOVERED
26d ago
2026-05-14
PUBLISHED
26d ago
2026-05-14
RELEVANCE
AUTHOR
e12e