CVE-2025-59290 is a use-after-free vulnerability classified under CWE-416, affecting the Windows Bluetooth Service component in Microsoft Windows Server 2022 (version 10.0.20348.0). Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, leading to undefined behavior such as memory corruption, crashes, or arbitrary code execution. In this case, the flaw allows an authorized attacker with local access to the system to exploit the vulnerability to elevate their privileges. The attacker does not require user interaction, and the attack complexity is low, meaning it can be reliably exploited once local access is obtained. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as an attacker could gain SYSTEM-level privileges, potentially leading to full control over the affected server. The Bluetooth Service is a critical Windows component responsible for managing Bluetooth devices and connections. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability is serious due to the potential for privilege escalation in environments where local access is possible. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 reflects these factors, with vector metrics indicating local attack vector, low attack complexity, required privileges, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability was reserved on September 11, 2025, and published on October 14, 2025. No patch links are currently available, indicating that organizations should monitor for updates from Microsoft and apply them promptly once released.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-59290 is significant, especially in sectors relying on Windows Server 2022 for critical infrastructure, cloud services, and enterprise applications. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with local access to escalate privileges to SYSTEM level, potentially compromising sensitive data, disrupting services, or deploying further malware. This can lead to data breaches, operational downtime, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to unauthorized access and data integrity violations. Organizations using Bluetooth-enabled servers or those with multiple users having local access are at higher risk. The vulnerability could be leveraged in insider threat scenarios or combined with other attack vectors to gain initial local access. Given the critical role of Windows Server 2022 in European data centers and enterprise environments, the threat could affect financial institutions, government agencies, healthcare providers, and large enterprises. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits once patches are released.

1. Monitor Microsoft security advisories closely and apply official patches immediately upon release to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Restrict local access to Windows Server 2022 systems, limiting it to trusted administrators only, to reduce the attack surface. 3. Disable Bluetooth services on servers where Bluetooth functionality is not required, minimizing exposure to the vulnerable component. 4. Implement strict access controls and use endpoint protection solutions that can detect abnormal privilege escalation attempts. 5. Conduct regular audits of user privileges and local access permissions to ensure no unauthorized accounts have local login rights. 6. Employ application whitelisting and behavior monitoring to detect exploitation attempts targeting the Bluetooth Service. 7. Use network segmentation to isolate critical servers and reduce the risk of lateral movement if local access is compromised. 8. Prepare incident response plans that include scenarios involving local privilege escalation to ensure rapid containment and remediation.