CVE-2025-54092 is a high-severity race condition vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809, specifically within the Windows Hyper-V component. The vulnerability arises due to improper synchronization during concurrent execution of shared resources, classified under CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization). This flaw allows an authorized local attacker to exploit the race condition to elevate their privileges on the affected system. The attacker must have some level of local access (low privileges) but does not require user interaction to trigger the exploit. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise by elevating privileges to higher levels, potentially SYSTEM. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting a high severity with local attack vector, low attack complexity, and no user interaction required. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and impact make it a significant risk, especially in environments relying on Hyper-V virtualization for workload isolation and security. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54092 can be substantial, particularly for enterprises and public sector entities that utilize Windows 10 Version 1809 with Hyper-V virtualization. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to bypass security boundaries within virtualized environments, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and potential lateral movement within networks. This is especially critical for sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, where data confidentiality and system integrity are paramount. The vulnerability could undermine trust in virtualization-based security controls and increase the risk of insider threats or malware escalation. Given that Windows 10 Version 1809 is an older release, some organizations may still be running it due to legacy application dependencies, increasing their exposure. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the potential for rapid weaponization remains high.

To mitigate CVE-2025-54092, European organizations should: 1) Prioritize upgrading or patching affected systems as soon as Microsoft releases an official security update. Until patches are available, consider disabling Hyper-V on Windows 10 Version 1809 systems where feasible, especially on endpoints not requiring virtualization. 2) Implement strict access controls and monitoring on systems running Hyper-V to limit local user privileges and detect unusual activities indicative of privilege escalation attempts. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying race condition exploitation patterns. 4) Conduct thorough inventory and risk assessments to identify all systems running the vulnerable Windows version and plan for migration to supported Windows releases with ongoing security support. 5) Use virtualization security best practices, such as isolating critical workloads, minimizing the attack surface by disabling unnecessary services, and enforcing network segmentation to contain potential breaches. 6) Educate IT staff and users about the risks of local privilege escalation and enforce policies to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized local access.