CVE-2025-49684 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). The issue is classified as a buffer over-read (CWE-126) within the Storage Port Driver component of the operating system. A buffer over-read occurs when a program reads more data than the buffer it has allocated, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory. In this case, the vulnerability allows an authorized attacker with local access and low privileges (PR:L) to read sensitive information from memory without requiring user interaction (UI:N). The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have some level of access to the target system, but the complexity of the attack is low (AC:L). The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability but impacts confidentiality with a high impact on data disclosure (C:H). The scope is unchanged (S:U), indicating the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component and does not propagate to other system components. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved in early June 2025 and published in July 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. The Storage Port Driver is responsible for managing storage device communications, so the vulnerability could expose sensitive data related to storage operations or memory contents accessible via this driver. Since the attacker must be authorized locally, this vulnerability is most relevant in environments where multiple users share systems or where attackers can gain limited local access, such as through compromised credentials or insider threats.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-49684 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information on affected Windows 10 Version 1809 systems. This could include corporate data, credentials, or other confidential information residing in memory areas accessible via the Storage Port Driver. Organizations with legacy systems still running Windows 10 Version 1809, especially in sectors with high data sensitivity such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, may face increased risk of data leakage. The local access requirement limits remote exploitation, but insider threats or attackers who have already gained limited access could leverage this vulnerability to escalate information gathering. The lack of impact on integrity and availability means the vulnerability is unlikely to cause system crashes or data corruption but could facilitate further attacks by exposing sensitive data. Given that many European enterprises have phased out older Windows versions, the impact is somewhat mitigated; however, environments with legacy systems or delayed patching cycles remain vulnerable. Additionally, compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR means that any data leakage could have legal and financial consequences for affected organizations.

To mitigate CVE-2025-49684, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Identify and inventory all systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 within their environment. 2) Apply any available security patches or updates from Microsoft as soon as they are released. Since no patch links are currently available, monitor Microsoft security advisories closely. 3) Restrict local access to systems running the affected OS version by enforcing strict access controls, limiting user privileges, and employing robust authentication mechanisms to reduce the risk of unauthorized local access. 4) Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious local activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Consider upgrading or migrating legacy systems to supported Windows versions that are not affected by this vulnerability to reduce exposure. 6) Conduct regular security awareness training to mitigate insider threats and ensure users understand the risks of local credential compromise. 7) Employ memory protection and data encryption where possible to reduce the impact of any potential data disclosure. 8) Use network segmentation to isolate legacy systems from sensitive parts of the network to limit lateral movement in case of compromise.