Cyber Posture

CVE-2025-24044

High

Published: 11 March 2025

Published
11 March 2025
Modified
07 July 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0008 23.7th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-24044 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) 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 at the 23.7th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); 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).

Threat & Defense at a Glance

What attackers do: exploitation maps to Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068). 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 use-after-free vulnerability in the Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem through timely flaw remediation and patching.

prevent

Implements memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR, DEP, and CFG that mitigate exploitation of use-after-free vulnerabilities in the kernel.

prevent

Enforces least privilege for local users and processes, limiting the attack surface and impact of privilege escalation from low-privilege accounts.

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
Why these techniques?

Local use-after-free vulnerability in Windows kernel subsystem enabling privilege escalation from low-privileged local attacker.

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

NVD Description

Use after free in Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Deeper analysisAI

CVE-2025-24044 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in the Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem. It affects Windows systems and was published on 2025-03-11T17:16:26.093 with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

An authorized local attacker with low privileges can exploit this vulnerability to elevate privileges. The attack vector is local with low attack complexity and no user interaction required, potentially resulting in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The Microsoft Security Response Center provides an update guide with details on mitigation and patches at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-24044.

Details

CWE(s)

Affected Products

microsoft
windows 10 1507
≤ 10.0.10240.20947 · ≤ 10.0.10240.20947
microsoft
windows 10 1607
≤ 10.0.14393.7876 · ≤ 10.0.14393.7876
microsoft
windows 10 1809
≤ 10.0.17763.7009
microsoft
windows 10 21h2
≤ 10.0.19044.5608
microsoft
windows 10 22h2
≤ 10.0.19045.5608
microsoft
windows 11 22h2
≤ 10.0.22621.5039
microsoft
windows 11 23h2
≤ 10.0.22631.5039
microsoft
windows 11 24h2
≤ 10.0.26100.3403
microsoft
windows server 2012
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2016
≤ 10.0.14393.7876
+4 more product configuration(s) — see NVD for full list

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-21281Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-24072Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-47986Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2025-24046Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507
CVE-2026-27915Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2026-32156Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2026-27916Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2026-27909Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2026-27923Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607
CVE-2026-24289Same product: Microsoft Windows 10 1607

References