CVE-2025-24997 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows Server 2022, specifically version 10.0.20348.0. The issue is classified as a NULL pointer dereference (CWE-476) within the Windows Kernel Memory subsystem. This vulnerability allows an authorized attacker—meaning the attacker must have high-level privileges on the affected system—to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition locally. The underlying cause is that the kernel attempts to dereference a NULL pointer, which leads to a system crash or instability, effectively disrupting availability. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity, as it does not allow data leakage or unauthorized modification. Exploitation requires local access with high privileges, no user interaction is needed, and the attack complexity is low. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication (March 11, 2025), and no patches have been linked yet. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.4, categorized as medium severity, reflecting the limited scope and impact of the vulnerability. The vulnerability is significant in environments running Windows Server 2022, especially where uptime and service availability are critical, as an attacker could intentionally crash the system, causing service interruptions.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-24997 is the potential for denial of service on critical Windows Server 2022 systems. This could disrupt business operations, especially in sectors relying heavily on continuous server availability such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and government services. While the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, service outages can lead to operational downtime, loss of productivity, and potential regulatory compliance issues related to service availability. Organizations with complex IT infrastructures that include Windows Server 2022 may face challenges in maintaining service continuity if this vulnerability is exploited. Additionally, the requirement for local high-privilege access somewhat limits the threat to insider threats or attackers who have already gained elevated access, but it remains a concern for internal security and privileged user management.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict and monitor administrative access to Windows Server 2022 systems to minimize the risk of privilege misuse. 2) Employ strict access control policies and use just-in-time (JIT) privileged access to reduce the window of opportunity for attackers. 3) Monitor system logs and kernel events for signs of abnormal crashes or attempts to exploit kernel memory. 4) Apply any forthcoming security patches from Microsoft promptly once available, as no patches are currently linked. 5) Use virtualization or sandboxing techniques to isolate critical services, limiting the impact of a potential DoS. 6) Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on privilege escalation and local attack vectors. 7) Implement robust incident response plans to quickly recover from potential DoS incidents caused by this vulnerability.