Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-55693

Memory Safety in Microsoft Windows 11 24H2 ≤ 10.0.26100.6899

Published
14 October 2025
Modified
30 October 2025
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.4
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.019 78th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-55693 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 11 24H2. Its CVSS base score is 7.4 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 22% 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 AC-6 (Least Privilege) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Use after free in Windows Kernel allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-55688Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2025-55690Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2025-59189Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2026-20870Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2025-59206Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2025-55684Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2025-59210Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2026-20854Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2026-20859Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2
CVE-2025-55691Same product: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2

Affected Assets

microsoft
windows 11 24h2
≤ 10.0.26100.6899
microsoft
windows 11 25h2
≤ 10.0.26200.6899
microsoft
windows server 2025
≤ 10.0.26100.6899

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)
Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.4.3

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

prevent

Directly implements memory protection mechanisms that can block or contain use-after-free conditions in kernel memory.

prevent

Enforces least privilege so that even a successful local kernel exploit yields minimal additional rights.

prevent

Provides process isolation boundaries that limit the blast radius of a kernel use-after-free to the compromised context.

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 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly incorporate memory-safety tooling and reviews that prevent most use-after-free defects.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes can discover use-after-free issues via scanning or analysis but do not prevent their introduction.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching removes known use-after-free instances after they have been introduced in released software.

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 can detect use-after-free bugs before release.

prevents

Secure SDLC mandates memory-safety practices that reduce use-after-free defects.

prevents

Application security requirements can specify memory-management rules that mitigate use-after-free.

prevents

Secure architecture principles include memory-safety design choices that limit use-after-free exposure.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly prescribe avoidance of use-after-free patterns.

prevents

Change-management processes help ensure memory-safety fixes are deployed consistently.

References