CVE-2025-24044: CWE-416: Use After Free in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809
Use after free in Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-24044 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) found in the Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem specifically affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). This vulnerability allows a local, authorized attacker with limited privileges to exploit a flaw in the kernel subsystem's memory management, where a previously freed memory object is accessed again. Such use-after-free conditions can lead to memory corruption, enabling the attacker to escalate privileges on the affected system. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and has a low attack complexity, meaning exploitation is feasible with limited conditions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as successful exploitation can grant the attacker elevated privileges, potentially full system control. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation is pending or in progress. The vulnerability was reserved in mid-January 2025 and published in March 2025, showing recent discovery and disclosure. The flaw resides in a core component of the Windows kernel, making it a critical target for attackers aiming to bypass security controls and gain administrative access on affected Windows 10 1809 systems.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially in environments where Windows 10 Version 1809 remains in use, such as legacy systems or specialized industrial setups. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to elevate privileges locally, bypassing user restrictions and potentially deploying malware, ransomware, or conducting lateral movement within networks. This could lead to data breaches, disruption of critical services, and compromise of sensitive information. Given the kernel-level nature of the flaw, the impact extends to system stability and security, potentially causing system crashes or persistent backdoors. Organizations in sectors like finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly vulnerable due to the high value of their data and systems. The lack of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk but also means organizations must proactively patch or mitigate before attackers develop weaponized exploits. The vulnerability's local attack vector implies that initial access is required, so combined with phishing or insider threats, the risk increases.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should prioritize upgrading or patching affected Windows 10 Version 1809 systems as soon as official patches become available from Microsoft. Until patches are released, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges, employing the principle of least privilege to reduce the number of users who can execute code locally. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be tuned to detect suspicious kernel-level activity or memory corruption attempts. Network segmentation can help contain potential lateral movement following exploitation. Regular auditing of user accounts and monitoring for privilege escalation attempts are critical. Additionally, organizations should consider upgrading to a more recent, supported Windows version to reduce exposure to legacy vulnerabilities. Employing application whitelisting and restricting execution of untrusted code can further reduce exploitation likelihood. Finally, educating users about the risks of local privilege escalation and maintaining robust incident response plans will improve resilience against exploitation attempts.
Affected Countries
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Sweden, Finland
CVE-2025-24044: CWE-416: Use After Free in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809
Description
Use after free in Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-24044 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) found in the Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem specifically affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). This vulnerability allows a local, authorized attacker with limited privileges to exploit a flaw in the kernel subsystem's memory management, where a previously freed memory object is accessed again. Such use-after-free conditions can lead to memory corruption, enabling the attacker to escalate privileges on the affected system. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and has a low attack complexity, meaning exploitation is feasible with limited conditions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as successful exploitation can grant the attacker elevated privileges, potentially full system control. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation is pending or in progress. The vulnerability was reserved in mid-January 2025 and published in March 2025, showing recent discovery and disclosure. The flaw resides in a core component of the Windows kernel, making it a critical target for attackers aiming to bypass security controls and gain administrative access on affected Windows 10 1809 systems.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially in environments where Windows 10 Version 1809 remains in use, such as legacy systems or specialized industrial setups. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to elevate privileges locally, bypassing user restrictions and potentially deploying malware, ransomware, or conducting lateral movement within networks. This could lead to data breaches, disruption of critical services, and compromise of sensitive information. Given the kernel-level nature of the flaw, the impact extends to system stability and security, potentially causing system crashes or persistent backdoors. Organizations in sectors like finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly vulnerable due to the high value of their data and systems. The lack of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk but also means organizations must proactively patch or mitigate before attackers develop weaponized exploits. The vulnerability's local attack vector implies that initial access is required, so combined with phishing or insider threats, the risk increases.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should prioritize upgrading or patching affected Windows 10 Version 1809 systems as soon as official patches become available from Microsoft. Until patches are released, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges, employing the principle of least privilege to reduce the number of users who can execute code locally. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be tuned to detect suspicious kernel-level activity or memory corruption attempts. Network segmentation can help contain potential lateral movement following exploitation. Regular auditing of user accounts and monitoring for privilege escalation attempts are critical. Additionally, organizations should consider upgrading to a more recent, supported Windows version to reduce exposure to legacy vulnerabilities. Employing application whitelisting and restricting execution of untrusted code can further reduce exploitation likelihood. Finally, educating users about the risks of local privilege escalation and maintaining robust incident response plans will improve resilience against exploitation attempts.
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- microsoft
- Date Reserved
- 2025-01-16T23:11:19.731Z
- Cisa Enriched
- true
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 682cd0f81484d88663aeb300
Added to database: 5/20/2025, 6:59:04 PM
Last enriched: 7/11/2025, 2:32:33 PM
Last updated: 8/11/2025, 7:23:16 PM
Views: 13
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