CVE-2025-21376
Published: 11 February 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21376 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Its CVSS base score is 8.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation of Remote Services (T1210); ranked in the top 19.1% 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 RA-5 (Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly mitigates the LDAP RCE vulnerability by requiring timely remediation through application of vendor-provided patches as specified in the MSRC update guide.
Identifies systems vulnerable to CVE-2025-21376 via regular vulnerability scanning for known flaws like heap buffer overflows in the Windows LDAP component.
Limits remote network exposure to the LDAP service by enforcing boundary protections such as firewalls restricting access to LDAP ports (389/TCP, 636/TCP).
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The CVE describes an unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows LDAP component accessible over the network, directly mapping to exploitation of a remote service to execute arbitrary code.
NVD Description
Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-21376 is a Remote Code Execution vulnerability affecting the Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) component, published on 2025-02-11T18:15:36.167. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and is linked to CWEs including CWE-122 (heap-based buffer overflow), CWE-191 (integer underflow or overflow), CWE-362 (race condition), and NVD-CWE-noinfo.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability over the network, though it requires high attack complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation enables remote code execution with high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The Microsoft Security Response Center provides an update guide with details on patches and mitigation at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21376.
Details
- CWE(s)