CVE-2025-59260 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows Server 2019, specifically within the Failover Cluster Virtual Driver component. This flaw is categorized under CWE-200, indicating exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors. The vulnerability allows an attacker who already has authorized local access with low privileges to disclose sensitive information from the system. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L) and privileges (PR:L), but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), and the impact is limited to confidentiality (C:H) without affecting integrity or availability. This means sensitive data could be leaked, potentially aiding further attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within an environment. The vulnerability was published on October 14, 2025, with no known exploits in the wild at this time. The affected version is Windows Server 2019 build 10.0.17763.0. The absence of a patch link suggests that remediation is pending or forthcoming. Given the nature of failover clusters in high-availability environments, this exposure could reveal configuration details or other sensitive cluster information that should remain protected. The vulnerability’s medium severity rating and CVSS score of 5.5 reflect a moderate risk profile, primarily due to the requirement for local access and the limited impact scope.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive information in Windows Server 2019 failover clusters could have significant operational and security implications. Failover clusters are commonly used in critical infrastructure, financial institutions, healthcare, and large enterprises to ensure high availability and resilience. Disclosure of sensitive cluster configuration or operational data could enable attackers to better understand the environment, identify further vulnerabilities, or prepare for privilege escalation and lateral movement attacks. This risk is heightened in environments where local access controls are weak or where multiple administrators share access. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach could lead to indirect impacts such as data breaches or disruption through subsequent attacks. European organizations with compliance obligations under GDPR must also consider the regulatory implications of sensitive data exposure. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits once patches are released.

To mitigate CVE-2025-59260, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Monitor Microsoft security advisories closely and apply patches promptly once released to address this vulnerability. 2) Restrict local access to Windows Server 2019 failover cluster nodes strictly to trusted administrators and use strong authentication mechanisms such as multifactor authentication. 3) Implement robust access control policies and audit local user activities to detect unauthorized attempts to access cluster nodes. 4) Harden failover cluster configurations by minimizing unnecessary services and ensuring secure communication channels within the cluster. 5) Employ network segmentation to limit exposure of cluster nodes and reduce the attack surface. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on cluster environments to identify potential weaknesses. 7) Educate administrators about the risks of local privilege misuse and enforce least privilege principles. These measures go beyond generic patching advice by emphasizing operational security and access management tailored to clustered server environments.