CVE-2025-25008: Windows Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Overview

Severity

High (CVSS 7.1)

CVSS Vector

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

Category

Elevation of Privilege

Exploit Status

Not Exploited

Exploitation Likelihood

Less Likely

Patch Tuesday

2025-Mar

Released

2025-03-11

Last Updated

2025-03-23

EPSS Score

0.22% (percentile: 44.6%)

Description

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Microsoft Windows allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

FAQ

What privileges could be gained by an attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability? An attacker would be able to delete targeted files on a system. According to the CVSS metrics, successful exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to no loss of confidentiality (C:N), but could lead to major loss on integrity (I:H) and availability (A:H). What does that mean for this vulnerability? This vulnerability does not allow disclosure of any confidential information, but could allow an attacker to delete data that could include data that results in the service being unavailable.

Affected Products (9)

Windows

• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2025
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)

Security Updates (5)

• 5053596
• 5053603
• 5053598
• 5053594
• 5053599

Acknowledgments

Lockheed Martin Red Team

Revision History

• 2025-03-11: Information published.
• 2025-03-23: Updated links to security updates. This is an informational change only.