CVE-2025-53152: Desktop Windows Manager Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Overview

Severity

High (CVSS 7.8)

CVSS Vector

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

Category

Remote Code Execution

Exploit Status

Not Exploited

Exploitation Likelihood

Less Likely

Patch Tuesday

2025-Aug

Released

2025-08-12

EPSS Score

0.07% (percentile: 22.1%)

Description

Use after free in Desktop Windows Manager allows an authorized attacker to execute code locally.

FAQ

According to the CVSS metric, the attack vector is local (AV:L). Why does the CVE title indicate that this is a remote code execution? The word "Remote" in the title refers to the location of the attacker. This type of exploit is sometimes referred to as Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE). The attack itself is carried out locally. This means an attacker or victim needs to execute code from the local machine to create a window and intentionally cause it to hang. This could be used to exploit the GhostWindow object use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability in the DWM process on the victim's system. According to the CVSS metric, privileges required is low (PR:L). What does that mean for this vulnerability? Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to have obtained low privileged code execution on target host first.

Affected Products (28)

Windows

• Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation)
• Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 11 Version 23H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)

ESU

• Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
• Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)

Security Updates (11)

• 5063877
• 5063880
• 5063812
• 5063709
• 5063875
• 5063889
• 5063871
• 5063947
• 5063927
• 5063906
• 5063950

Acknowledgments

Varun Goel

Revision History

• 2025-08-12: Information published.