Cyber Posture

CVE-2025-21220

High

Published: 14 January 2025

Published
14 January 2025
Modified
27 January 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score 7.5 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0100 77.1th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-21220 is a high-severity Use of Uninitialized Resource (CWE-908) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 22.9% 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 CM-7 (Least Functionality) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).

Threat & Defense at a Glance

What attackers do: exploitation maps to Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190). What defenders deploy: see the NIST 800-53 controls recommended below.
Threat & Defense Details

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI

prevent

Directly remediates the uninitialized resource vulnerability in MSMQ through timely application of vendor patches, preventing remote information disclosure.

prevent

Prohibits or restricts non-essential MSMQ functionality or ports, eliminating exposure to the unauthenticated network-accessible vulnerability.

prevent

Monitors and controls network communications to MSMQ interfaces, reducing opportunities for remote unauthenticated attackers to trigger the information disclosure.

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
Why these techniques?

Remote unauthenticated network exploit of MSMQ service directly enables T1190 for information disclosure.

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v18.1

NVD Description

Microsoft Message Queuing Information Disclosure Vulnerability

Deeper analysisAI

CVE-2025-21220 is an information disclosure vulnerability in Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ), published on 2025-01-14. It stems from CWE-908 (use of uninitialized resource) and has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), indicating high confidentiality impact with network accessibility, low complexity, and no requirements for privileges or user interaction.

A remote, unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability over the network to disclose sensitive information from the affected MSMQ component. The attack requires no special privileges or user involvement, allowing an adversary to obtain high-impact confidential data without affecting integrity or availability.

For mitigation details, refer to the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21220.

Details

CWE(s)

Affected Products

microsoft
windows 10 1507
≤ 10.0.10240.20890 · ≤ 10.0.10240.20890
microsoft
windows 10 1607
≤ 10.0.14393.7699 · ≤ 10.0.14393.7699
microsoft
windows 10 1809
≤ 10.0.17763.6775 · ≤ 10.0.17763.6775
microsoft
windows 10 21h2
≤ 10.0.19044.5371
microsoft
windows 10 22h2
≤ 10.0.19045.5371
microsoft
windows 11 22h2
≤ 10.0.22621.4751
microsoft
windows 11 23h2
≤ 10.0.22631.4751
microsoft
windows 11 24h2
≤ 10.0.26100.2894
microsoft
windows server 2008
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2012
all versions, r2
+5 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-50177Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-21369Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-21368Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-21294Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-53766Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-62549Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2026-20868Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2026-20856Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2025-47981Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-24035Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507

References