Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-49753

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 r2

Published
08 July 2025
Modified
17 June 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0075 51th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-49753 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 49% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-16 (Memory Protection) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2025-49753, published on 2025-07-08, is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-122) in the Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS). This flaw affects Windows systems where RRAS is enabled, allowing potential exploitation due to improper handling of heap memory.

An unauthorized attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network with low attack complexity and no required privileges, though user interaction is necessary. Successful exploitation enables arbitrary code execution, resulting in high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, as reflected in its CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Mitigation details are available in the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-49753.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

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.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
Why these techniques?

Heap buffer overflow enables remote unauthenticated RCE against the RRAS service (remote access/VPN), directly mapping to exploitation of public-facing or remote services.

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

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-49672Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-49729Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-54113Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-48824Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-49668Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-49663Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-49674Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-49669Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-21208Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008
CVE-2025-49757Same product: Microsoft Windows Server 2008

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows server 2008
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2012
all versions, r2
microsoft
windows server 2016
≤ 10.0.14393.8246
microsoft
windows server 2019
≤ 10.0.17763.7558
microsoft
windows server 2022
≤ 10.0.20348.3932
microsoft
windows server 2022 23h2
≤ 10.0.25398.1732
microsoft
windows server 2025
≤ 10.0.26100.4652

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)
  • SI-2 Flaw Remediation
  • SI-16 Memory Protection
  • SC-7 Boundary Protection
Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.4.1

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

prevent

Requires timely identification, reporting, and remediation of vulnerabilities like the heap-based buffer overflow in RRAS through patching.

prevent

Implements memory protections such as ASLR and DEP that directly mitigate exploitation of heap buffer overflows in services like RRAS.

prevent

Monitors and controls network communications to external interfaces, restricting unauthorized remote access to the vulnerable RRAS service.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 full match
prevents

Secure-development practices directly require bounds checking and safe memory handling that prevent heap overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning and recording can discover heap-overflow flaws but does not prevent their introduction in code.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Timely patching removes known heap-overflow instances after they exist.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

detects

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect heap overflows before release.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates practices that reduce the likelihood of introducing heap overflows.

prevents

Application security requirements can specify bounds-checking and safe memory APIs that mitigate heap overflows.

prevents

Secure architecture and engineering principles include memory-safety and input-validation controls that address heap overflows.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly prescribe techniques (safe functions, bounds checks) that prevent heap-based buffer overflows.

none

Change management ensures controlled deployment of fixes for discovered heap-overflow vulnerabilities.

References