CVE-2025-59596 is a denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability identified in Absolute Security's Secure Access Windows client software versions 12.0 through 14.10. The vulnerability arises when a local networking policy is active on the client system. An attacker positioned on an adjacent network—meaning they have network-level access but not necessarily direct access to the victim machine—can craft and send a malicious network packet specifically designed to exploit this flaw. Upon receipt, the Secure Access client processes the packet in a way that triggers a crash, resulting in a denial of service. This crash disrupts the availability of the Secure Access client, potentially interrupting secure network connectivity for the user. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, increasing its risk profile. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates an attack vector of adjacent network (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and a high impact on availability (VA:H) with no impact on confidentiality or integrity. Absolute Security has released version 14.12 to address this issue, and users are advised to upgrade to this or later versions. There are no reports of active exploitation in the wild at this time, but the ease of exploitation and potential impact on availability make timely remediation critical.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-59596 is the potential disruption of secure network access due to client crashes. This can lead to temporary loss of connectivity to protected resources, affecting business continuity and productivity, especially in environments relying heavily on Secure Access for remote or segmented network access. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, which often enforce strict local networking policies, may experience operational interruptions. Additionally, repeated or targeted DoS attacks could be used as a vector for broader disruption or as a distraction for other malicious activities. While the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, the availability impact can still have significant operational and reputational consequences. Organizations with complex network segmentation or those that rely on Secure Access for compliance with data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) should be particularly vigilant to avoid service interruptions that could affect regulatory adherence or incident response capabilities.

Organizations should immediately verify the version of Absolute Security Secure Access deployed in their environment and upgrade all Windows clients to version 14.12 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. Network administrators should review and, if possible, temporarily restrict adjacent network access to Secure Access clients, especially in untrusted or public network segments, to reduce exposure. Implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unusual packet patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Employ intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) configured to alert on anomalous traffic targeting Secure Access clients. Regularly audit local networking policies to ensure they are necessary and correctly configured, minimizing the attack surface. Additionally, maintain robust incident response plans to quickly address any service disruptions caused by potential exploitation. Coordination with Absolute Security support for any additional recommended configurations or hotfixes is advised.