CVE-2025-21418KEV · OVERDUECWE-122

Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

High · published February 11, 2025

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 7.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 75.1th percentile for exploit probability.

599
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
7.8
EPSS
2%
Percentile
75.1
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 A sneaky privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows’ Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock could have attackers running amok with elevated permissions! ⚡ Think of it like a hotel where a guest finds a secret door to the staff-only area — once they’re in, they can access all the behind-the-scenes operations without any checks! An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges on the system, potentially allowing them to install malicious software, exfiltrate sensitive data, or take control of the entire system. This could lead to devastating consequences, including breaches of personal or organizational information.

Put simply

Think of it like a hotel where a guest finds a secret door to the staff-only area — once they’re in, they can access all the behind-the-scenes operations without any checks! This vulnerability arises from improper handling of certain requests to the Ancillary Function Driver, allowing an authenticated attacker to gain higher privileges than intended. Essentially, it doesn't adequately verify the legitimacy of the request.

What to do

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges on the system, potentially allowing them to install malicious software, exfiltrate sensitive data, or take control of the entire system. This could lead to devastating consequences, including breaches of personal or organizational information. Immediately apply the security update provided by Microsoft to mitigate this risk. Ensure your systems are regularly updated and consider running security audits to identify any unauthorized changes that may have occurred before the patch was applied. You’ve got this! Stay proactive with your security measures, and you’ll keep those digital doors locked tight! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
7.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01568 · 75.1th percentile
Weakness
CWE-122 · Heap-based Buffer Overflow
Published
2025-02-11T17:58Z
KEV added
2025-02-11 · due 2025-03-04
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 11 FEB 17:58Z
    Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    cvelistv5
  • 11 FEB 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by Mar 4
    kev