CVE-2025-50167 is a high-severity race condition vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809, specifically affecting the Hyper-V component. The flaw arises due to improper synchronization when concurrently accessing shared resources, categorized under CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization). This race condition allows an attacker with authorized local access and low privileges to exploit the timing window in resource handling, leading to privilege escalation. By manipulating the concurrent execution flow, the attacker can gain elevated privileges, potentially achieving full system control. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require local access with some privileges, and the attack complexity is high due to the need for precise timing and conditions. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.0, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the critical nature of Hyper-V in managing virtualized environments and the potential for attackers to leverage this flaw to compromise host systems or virtual machines. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk, especially for enterprises relying on Windows 10 Version 1809 with Hyper-V for virtualization infrastructure. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized privilege escalation, enabling attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, disrupt services, or deploy further malware. This is particularly concerning for sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions within Europe. The ability to elevate privileges locally could facilitate lateral movement within networks, increasing the risk of widespread compromise. Additionally, organizations running legacy systems or delayed in patch management are more exposed. The vulnerability could undermine compliance with GDPR and other regulatory frameworks if exploited to access or manipulate personal data.

Given the absence of official patches, European organizations should implement targeted mitigations beyond generic advice. These include: 1) Restricting local access to systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 with Hyper-V by enforcing strict access controls and monitoring privileged accounts. 2) Employing application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 3) Isolating Hyper-V hosts from less trusted networks and limiting the number of users with Hyper-V management privileges. 4) Encouraging migration to newer, supported Windows versions where this vulnerability is patched or mitigated. 5) Conducting regular audits of virtualization environments to identify unauthorized changes or suspicious activity. 6) Implementing strict synchronization and concurrency controls in custom scripts or applications interfacing with Hyper-V to avoid exacerbating race conditions. 7) Preparing incident response plans specifically addressing privilege escalation scenarios in virtualized environments.