CVE-2025-62569 is a use-after-free vulnerability classified under CWE-416, discovered in the Microsoft Brokering File System component of Windows Server 2025, specifically impacting the Server Core installation variant. This vulnerability arises when the system improperly handles memory, freeing an object while it is still in use, which can lead to arbitrary code execution or corruption of memory. An authorized attacker with low privileges on the local system can exploit this flaw to elevate their privileges to higher levels, potentially gaining administrative rights. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0, indicating high severity, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability was reserved in mid-October 2025 and published in early December 2025. No public exploit code or known active exploitation has been reported yet. The affected version is Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) version 10.0.26100.0. The Server Core installation is a minimal server installation option that reduces the attack surface but is widely used in enterprise environments for critical infrastructure and cloud services. The use-after-free flaw in the Brokering File System could allow attackers to bypass security boundaries, compromise system integrity, and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or system controls.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-62569 is significant due to the widespread deployment of Windows Server 2025 in enterprise and critical infrastructure environments. Successful exploitation can lead to privilege escalation, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated rights, potentially compromising entire server environments. This can result in data breaches, disruption of services, and loss of system integrity and availability. Given the Server Core installation is often used in cloud and virtualization hosts, the vulnerability could facilitate lateral movement within networks and compromise multiple systems. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability makes this a critical concern for sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and energy, where Windows Server is prevalent. Although exploitation requires local access and high complexity, insider threats or attackers who gain initial footholds could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and deepen their control. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation before active attacks emerge.

1. Monitor Microsoft security advisories closely and apply official patches or updates for Windows Server 2025 Server Core installations as soon as they become available. 2. Restrict local access to Windows Server systems to trusted administrators only, minimizing the risk of unauthorized users exploiting this vulnerability. 3. Implement strict access controls and use multi-factor authentication for all privileged accounts to reduce the risk of privilege escalation. 4. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual behavior indicative of privilege escalation attempts or exploitation of use-after-free vulnerabilities. 5. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments focusing on Windows Server environments to identify and remediate potential attack vectors. 6. Harden server configurations by disabling unnecessary services and features to reduce the attack surface. 7. Use application whitelisting and code integrity policies to prevent execution of unauthorized code that could result from exploitation. 8. Educate system administrators about the risks and signs of exploitation to ensure rapid detection and response.