CVE-2025-21176
Published: 14 January 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21176 is a high-severity Buffer Over-read (CWE-126) vulnerability in Microsoft .Net Framework. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Malicious Link (T1204.001); ranked in the top 19.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Timely patching of the buffer over-read vulnerability in .NET, .NET Framework, and Visual Studio directly prevents remote code execution exploitation.
Malicious code protection tools scan and block malicious files or links that trick users into triggering the RCE vulnerability.
Memory protection features like ASLR and DEP mitigate exploitation attempts leveraging the buffer over-read for code execution.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
RCE requires user interaction with malicious file or link, directly mapping to User Execution sub-techniques.
NVD Description
.NET, .NET Framework, and Visual Studio Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-21176 is a remote code execution vulnerability affecting .NET, .NET Framework, and Visual Studio. Published on January 14, 2025, it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and is associated with CWE-126 (Buffer Over-read), though additional CWE details are unavailable from NVD.
An unauthenticated attacker on the network can exploit this vulnerability with low complexity by tricking a user into performing an action, such as interacting with a malicious file or link. Successful exploitation enables remote code execution on the target system, resulting in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
For mitigation details, refer to the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21176 and the HeroDevs vulnerability directory at https://www.herodevs.com/vulnerability-directory/cve-2025-21176.
Details
- CWE(s)