CVE-2025-60419 identifies a vulnerability in the NDIS Usermode IO driver component, specifically the RtkIOAC60.sys driver version 6.0.5600.16348. This driver is part of the Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) stack, which facilitates communication between network hardware and the Windows operating system. The vulnerability allows a local attacker who has authenticated access to the system to send a crafted IOCTL (Input Output Control) request to the driver. IOCTL requests are used by user-mode applications to communicate with kernel-mode drivers. By crafting a malicious IOCTL request, the attacker can trigger a denial of service condition, likely causing the driver to crash or become unresponsive, which in turn can disrupt network connectivity or system stability. The vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or remote code execution, limiting the attacker's capabilities to causing service disruption. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and no patches or known exploits have been reported. The vulnerability was reserved on September 26, 2025, and published on October 24, 2025, indicating recent discovery. The lack of patch and exploit information suggests that the vulnerability is newly disclosed and may not yet be actively exploited. However, the presence of this flaw in a core network driver component means that affected systems could experience significant operational impact if exploited. The attack requires local authenticated access, so threat actors would need to have already compromised user credentials or physical access to the machine. This limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with multiple users or insufficient access controls.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-60419 is on system availability, as exploitation causes a denial of service by crashing or destabilizing the NDIS Usermode IO driver. For European organizations, this could lead to network outages or degraded performance, affecting business operations reliant on stable network connectivity. Industries with critical network infrastructure, such as telecommunications, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, may experience operational disruptions. The requirement for local authentication reduces the risk of widespread remote exploitation but raises concerns in multi-user environments, shared workstations, or where insider threats exist. Additionally, organizations with remote desktop or virtual desktop infrastructure could be vulnerable if attackers gain authenticated access through compromised credentials. The absence of a patch means organizations must rely on compensating controls until a fix is available. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is minimal since the vulnerability does not enable data leakage or unauthorized modification. However, the denial of service could indirectly affect availability of critical services and systems, potentially causing financial and reputational damage.

To mitigate CVE-2025-60419, organizations should implement strict access control policies to limit local user privileges and prevent unauthorized users from sending IOCTL requests to the driver. Employing the principle of least privilege reduces the risk of exploitation by limiting the number of users who can interact with the vulnerable driver. Monitoring and logging of IOCTL requests and unusual driver behavior can help detect attempted exploitation. Network segmentation and endpoint protection solutions should be configured to detect and block suspicious local activity. Organizations should also ensure that all systems are up to date with the latest security patches and driver updates once the vendor releases a fix for this vulnerability. Until a patch is available, consider disabling or restricting the use of the affected driver if feasible, or isolating affected systems from critical network segments. Regularly auditing user accounts and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms can reduce the risk of attackers gaining local authenticated access. Incident response plans should be updated to include detection and remediation steps for this vulnerability.