CVE-2025-68947 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the NSecsoft NSecKrnl Windows kernel-mode driver. The flaw arises because the driver fails to properly enforce authorization checks on IOCTL requests that control process termination. As a result, a local attacker with low privileges but authenticated access to the system can craft specific IOCTL requests to terminate processes owned by other users, including highly privileged SYSTEM processes and Protected Processes that are normally safeguarded by the operating system. This capability effectively allows privilege escalation by disrupting critical system components, impacting system availability and stability. Exploitation does not require user interaction but demands local access and has a high attack complexity, limiting remote or automated exploitation. The vulnerability affects all versions of NSecKrnl prior to patching. Although no public exploits have been observed, the potential for denial-of-service or privilege escalation attacks is significant. The CVSS v3.1 score of 4.7 reflects the medium severity, driven by the high impact on availability but limited by the need for local access and complex exploitation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for environments heavily reliant on NSecsoft products, especially in sectors where system uptime and process integrity are critical.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-68947 is on system availability and operational continuity. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can terminate critical system and protected processes, potentially causing system crashes, service outages, or denial of service conditions. This can disrupt business operations, especially in sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government services that depend on high availability and secure Windows environments. The ability to terminate SYSTEM-level processes also raises the risk of privilege escalation, which could be leveraged for further attacks or lateral movement within networks. Given the requirement for local access, insider threats or compromised endpoints pose the greatest risk. The absence of known exploits currently reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk of future exploitation. European organizations using NSecKrnl must consider the vulnerability in their risk assessments, particularly those with critical infrastructure or sensitive data.

1. Apply vendor patches promptly once they become available to address the missing authorization checks in NSecKrnl. 2. Restrict local access to systems running NSecKrnl by enforcing strict access controls, limiting user privileges, and using endpoint protection to detect unauthorized access attempts. 3. Monitor IOCTL request activity for anomalies or suspicious patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, using kernel-level monitoring tools or endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions. 4. Implement strict user account management and session controls to reduce the risk of unauthorized local access. 5. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments focused on kernel drivers and local privilege escalation vectors. 6. Educate system administrators and security teams about the vulnerability and signs of exploitation to improve detection and response readiness. 7. Consider network segmentation and endpoint isolation strategies to limit the impact of compromised local accounts.