CVE-2025-29810 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809, specifically affecting Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which pertains to improper access control. This flaw allows an authorized attacker with limited privileges on the network to elevate their privileges, potentially gaining higher-level access than intended. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient enforcement of access control policies within AD DS, a critical component responsible for managing domain resources and authentication in Windows environments. Exploitation does not require user interaction, but does require the attacker to have some level of authenticated access (low privileges) on the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, indicating a high severity with a network attack vector, high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and a requirement for low privileges but high attack complexity. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches are linked yet, suggesting that organizations should prioritize mitigation and monitoring. Given the central role of AD DS in enterprise environments, successful exploitation could allow attackers to compromise domain controllers, manipulate user credentials, and gain persistent, elevated access across the network.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of Windows 10 Version 1809 in enterprise environments and the critical role of Active Directory in managing user authentication and access control. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of business operations, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. Confidentiality breaches could expose personal data protected under GDPR, leading to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Integrity and availability impacts could disrupt critical services, affecting sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions that rely heavily on Active Directory for secure identity management. The network-based nature of the attack means that attackers could exploit this vulnerability remotely, increasing the risk of widespread compromise within interconnected European corporate networks.

European organizations should immediately assess their use of Windows 10 Version 1809 and prioritize upgrading to supported, patched versions of Windows where this vulnerability is resolved. In the absence of an official patch, organizations should implement strict network segmentation to limit access to domain controllers and restrict lateral movement. Enforce the principle of least privilege rigorously, ensuring users and services have only the minimum necessary permissions. Monitor Active Directory logs and network traffic for unusual privilege escalation attempts or anomalous authentication patterns. Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative accounts to reduce the risk of compromised credentials being leveraged. Additionally, conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on Active Directory configurations to identify and remediate improper access controls. Organizations should also prepare incident response plans specific to Active Directory compromise scenarios.