CVE-2025-21420
Published: 11 February 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21420 is a high-severity Link Following (CWE-59) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 2.9% 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 SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) and AC-6 (Least Privilege).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-21420 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Disk Cleanup Tool. It carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 and is associated with CWE-59. The flaw permits a local attacker to elevate privileges on affected Windows systems.
An attacker with low privileges and local access can exploit the issue without user interaction, resulting in high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack vector is strictly local and does not cross trust boundaries.
Microsoft has published mitigation guidance and patch information in its advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21420. The current EPSS score of 0.3408, with a recorded peak of 0.4213, indicates moderate and sustained exploitation interest following disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-2478
Vulnerability details
Windows Disk Cleanup Tool Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The CVE describes a local elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Disk Cleanup Tool via improper link resolution (CWE-59), allowing low-privileged attackers to gain full system control. This directly maps to Exploitation for Privilege Escalation.
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Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly remediates the improper link resolution vulnerability in the Windows Disk Cleanup Tool by requiring timely application of the Microsoft security update.
Enforces least privilege on user accounts and processes, limiting the scope and impact of local low-privilege attackers attempting to exploit the elevation vulnerability.
Implements memory protections such as non-executable memory and ASLR to mitigate arbitrary code execution that may result from successful privilege escalation via improper file access.