CVE-2025-62215 is a race condition vulnerability classified under CWE-362, found in the Windows Kernel of Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). The vulnerability stems from improper synchronization when multiple threads or processes concurrently access shared resources, leading to a race condition. This flaw can be exploited by an attacker with local access and low privileges to escalate their privileges to higher levels, potentially SYSTEM or administrator. The attack vector is local, requiring no user interaction, but has high complexity due to the need to trigger the race condition reliably. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability by allowing unauthorized privilege escalation, which could lead to full system compromise. No public exploits are known at this time, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation may rely on forthcoming updates from Microsoft. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.0, reflecting high severity with partial mitigations possible through access control and monitoring. This vulnerability is particularly critical because it affects the kernel, a core component of the OS, making exploitation potentially devastating for affected systems.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially to those still operating Windows 10 Version 1809 in their environments, including legacy systems in industrial, governmental, and enterprise sectors. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to elevate privileges locally, bypassing security controls and gaining administrative access. This could lead to unauthorized data access, system manipulation, deployment of malware, or disruption of critical services. The impact is heightened in sectors with sensitive data or critical infrastructure, such as finance, healthcare, and public administration. Since the attack requires local access, insider threats or attackers who have already compromised lower-privileged accounts pose the greatest risk. The lack of current exploits reduces immediate risk but also means organizations must proactively patch and monitor to prevent future exploitation. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a stepping stone in multi-stage attacks targeting European entities.

1. Prioritize patching Windows 10 Version 1809 systems as soon as Microsoft releases an official security update addressing CVE-2025-62215. 2. Restrict local access to systems running the affected OS version by enforcing strict access controls and least privilege principles. 3. Implement robust endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts or race condition exploitation behaviors. 4. Conduct regular audits of user accounts and permissions to minimize the number of users with local access rights. 5. Use application whitelisting and kernel integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized modifications or suspicious kernel-level activity. 6. Where possible, upgrade affected systems to newer, supported Windows versions that are not vulnerable. 7. Educate IT staff and users about the risks of local privilege escalation and the importance of reporting suspicious activity. 8. Employ network segmentation to limit lateral movement if an attacker gains local access. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access vectors and enhancing detection capabilities specific to kernel-level privilege escalation attempts.