CVE-2025-59184 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows Server 2019, specifically version 10.0.17763.0, affecting the Windows High Availability Services component. The flaw is categorized under CWE-200, which involves the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors. This vulnerability enables an attacker who already has authorized local access with low privileges to disclose sensitive information from the system without requiring any user interaction. The attack vector is local (AV:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L), and privileges required are low (PR:L). The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability but has a high impact on confidentiality (C:H, I:N, A:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is confined to the vulnerable component and does not extend beyond the security scope of the affected system. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been released at the time of publication. The vulnerability was reserved on 2025-09-10 and published on 2025-10-14. The absence of user interaction (UI:N) means the attacker can exploit this vulnerability without needing to trick a user, but local access is mandatory. This vulnerability could allow attackers to gather sensitive configuration or operational data from the High Availability Services, potentially aiding further attacks or lateral movement within a network. Given the nature of Windows Server 2019 deployments in enterprise environments, this vulnerability could be leveraged by insiders or attackers who have gained limited access to escalate their knowledge of the system environment.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive information in Windows Server 2019 environments can have significant consequences. Many enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure operators in Europe rely on Windows Server 2019 for their IT operations, including high availability and failover services. Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data could lead to the compromise of internal configurations, security settings, or operational details that attackers could use to facilitate further intrusions or data breaches. This is particularly critical in sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and public administration, where confidentiality is paramount. The requirement for local access limits the risk of remote exploitation but raises concerns in multi-user environments, shared hosting, or cases where attackers have already gained footholds via other means. The lack of patches at the time of disclosure means organizations must rely on compensating controls to mitigate risk. Overall, the vulnerability could undermine trust in system availability and confidentiality, potentially leading to regulatory compliance issues under GDPR if sensitive personal data is exposed.

Since no official patches are currently available, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict local access to Windows Server 2019 systems running High Availability Services to only trusted administrators and users; enforce strict access control policies and use just-in-time access where possible. 2) Monitor and audit local user activities on affected servers to detect any unusual access patterns or attempts to access sensitive information. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify and block suspicious processes or privilege escalations. 4) Harden the server environment by disabling unnecessary services and features related to High Availability Services if not in use. 5) Use network segmentation to isolate critical servers and limit lateral movement opportunities. 6) Prepare for patch deployment by establishing rapid update procedures once Microsoft releases a fix. 7) Educate administrators about the vulnerability and the importance of minimizing local access and credential exposure. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and environment hardening specific to the affected component and attack vector.