CVE-2025-29957 is a medium severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0), specifically affecting the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) component. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-400, which pertains to uncontrolled resource consumption. In this case, an unauthorized local attacker can exploit the flaw to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition by exhausting system resources. The attack vector requires local access (AV:L), does not require privileges (PR:N), nor user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability impacts availability (A:H) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component on the affected system. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.2, reflecting a medium severity. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability allows an attacker to trigger excessive resource consumption in WDS, potentially leading to system instability or service outages, which can disrupt deployment operations and impact business continuity. Since WDS is often used in enterprise environments for OS deployment and imaging, this vulnerability could affect IT operations if exploited locally.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-29957 could be significant in environments where Windows Deployment Services is actively used for managing large-scale Windows 10 deployments or updates, particularly version 1809. The denial of service caused by uncontrolled resource consumption could disrupt IT infrastructure provisioning, delay critical updates, and impair recovery processes. This may lead to operational downtime, increased support costs, and potential compliance issues if service level agreements or regulatory requirements for system availability are not met. Organizations relying on legacy Windows 10 1809 systems are at higher risk, especially if these systems are used in critical infrastructure sectors such as finance, healthcare, or government services. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation, but insider threats or compromised local accounts could still leverage this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize upgrading affected Windows 10 Version 1809 systems to a more recent, supported Windows version where this vulnerability is addressed. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, organizations should restrict local access to systems running WDS, enforcing strict access controls and monitoring for unusual resource consumption patterns. Implementing host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to alert on abnormal CPU, memory, or disk usage related to WDS processes can provide early warning. Additionally, organizations should review and harden WDS configurations to limit exposure, disable WDS on systems where it is not required, and ensure that endpoint security solutions are up to date. Regular auditing of local user accounts and privileges can reduce the risk of unauthorized local exploitation. Finally, maintaining comprehensive backup and recovery procedures will help mitigate the impact of potential service disruptions.