CVE-2025-53725 is a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). The root cause is a type confusion flaw (CWE-843) within the Windows Push Notifications component. Type confusion occurs when a program accesses a resource using an incompatible type, leading to unexpected behavior. In this case, an authorized attacker with limited privileges on the affected system can exploit this flaw to escalate their privileges locally, potentially gaining higher system rights such as SYSTEM or Administrator. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and has a low attack complexity, but it does require the attacker to have some level of local access (privileges). The impact includes full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system, as the attacker could execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, install persistent malware, or disable security controls. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's characteristics and high CVSS score (7.8) indicate a significant risk if weaponized. No official patches or mitigation links are currently available, so affected systems remain vulnerable until Microsoft issues an update. The vulnerability is specific to Windows 10 Version 1809, which is an older but still in-use version in some environments.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a serious risk, especially in environments where Windows 10 Version 1809 is still deployed, such as legacy industrial control systems, government agencies, or enterprises with slow upgrade cycles. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to bypass local security restrictions, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, or lateral movement within networks. This is particularly concerning for sectors with strict data protection requirements under GDPR, as privilege escalation could facilitate data breaches. Additionally, organizations relying on Windows Push Notifications for operational workflows may experience service degradation or manipulation. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the vulnerability's ease of exploitation by authorized users means insider threats or compromised accounts could be leveraged. Overall, the vulnerability threatens confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems, potentially leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties.

Given the absence of official patches, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Identify and inventory all systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 to prioritize risk assessment. 2) Restrict local user privileges strictly, applying the principle of least privilege to limit the number of accounts with local access. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious privilege escalation attempts. 4) Disable or restrict Windows Push Notifications where feasible, especially on high-risk or sensitive systems, to reduce the attack surface. 5) Implement network segmentation to isolate legacy systems running this OS version from critical infrastructure and sensitive data stores. 6) Monitor system logs and security events for anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 7) Prepare for rapid deployment of patches once Microsoft releases an official fix by testing updates in controlled environments. 8) Educate IT staff and users about the risks of local privilege escalation and enforce strong authentication and access controls to reduce the likelihood of compromised accounts being used to exploit this vulnerability.