CVE-2025-24050 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the Windows Hyper-V role on Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 17763.0). The vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Hyper-V virtualization component, specifically a failure to properly validate or limit buffer sizes on the heap. This flaw can be exploited by an attacker who already has authorized local access with limited privileges to execute arbitrary code in kernel mode, thereby elevating their privileges to SYSTEM or equivalent. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and has a low attack complexity, but it does require local privileges, meaning remote exploitation is not feasible without prior access. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as successful exploitation could allow full system compromise. No patches or mitigations have been officially released as of the publication date (March 11, 2025), and no known exploits are currently active in the wild. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow), indicating a classic memory corruption issue that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. Hyper-V is widely used in enterprise environments for virtualization, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on Windows 10 1809 for virtual machine hosting or development environments. The flaw's presence in an older Windows 10 version highlights the risks of running out-of-support or legacy systems in production.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-24050 can be significant, especially in sectors that utilize Windows 10 Version 1809 with Hyper-V enabled for virtualization workloads such as finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and government. Successful exploitation allows attackers with local access to escalate privileges to SYSTEM level, potentially enabling full control over the host machine and any virtual machines running on it. This could lead to data breaches, disruption of critical services, and lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability compromises confidentiality by allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data, integrity by enabling unauthorized code execution, and availability by potentially causing system instability or denial of service. Since Windows 10 Version 1809 is an older release, organizations that have not upgraded or patched may be at higher risk. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk, but the high severity and ease of exploitation by authorized users make it a critical concern for internal threat actors or malware that gains local foothold. European organizations with strict compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR) must consider the legal and reputational consequences of breaches stemming from this vulnerability.

1. Immediately audit and restrict local user privileges to minimize the number of users with access to systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 with Hyper-V enabled. 2. Disable the Hyper-V role on systems where virtualization is not required to eliminate the attack surface. 3. Prioritize upgrading affected systems to a supported and patched Windows version, such as Windows 10 21H2 or later, where this vulnerability is not present. 4. Implement strict endpoint security controls, including application whitelisting and behavior monitoring, to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. 5. Use network segmentation to isolate critical systems and limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 6. Monitor system logs and security telemetry for unusual privilege escalation activities or crashes related to Hyper-V components. 7. Prepare incident response plans that include scenarios involving local privilege escalation via Hyper-V vulnerabilities. 8. Stay informed on vendor updates and apply patches promptly once released. 9. Consider deploying virtual machine isolation techniques and hardware-based virtualization security features (e.g., TPM, Secure Boot) to reduce risk. 10. Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests focusing on legacy systems and virtualization infrastructure.