CVE-2025-64661CWE-362

CVE-2025-64661

High · published December 9, 2025

CVSS v3.1
7.8
EPSS
0%
Percentile
15.4
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚡ A sneaky race condition in Windows Shell could let an authorized attacker elevate privileges locally—like a fast-paced relay race where one runner accelerates too soon! 🏃‍♂️💨 Think of it as a restaurant where two chefs are trying to grab the last ingredient from the pantry at the same time. If one chef doesn't check the pantry lock, the other can take over and whip up a recipe far beyond their usual capabilities! An attacker could exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges, potentially taking control of sensitive operations or accessing restricted data. This means they could do anything from altering system settings to introducing malicious software—all while pretending to be a regular user!

Put simply

Think of it as a restaurant where two chefs are trying to grab the last ingredient from the pantry at the same time. If one chef doesn't check the pantry lock, the other can take over and whip up a recipe far beyond their usual capabilities! This vulnerability exists due to improper synchronization in how Windows Shell manages shared resources during concurrent execution. This lack of coordination allows a malicious user to exploit the condition and escalate privileges unexpectedly.

What to do

An attacker could exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges, potentially taking control of sensitive operations or accessing restricted data. This means they could do anything from altering system settings to introducing malicious software—all while pretending to be a regular user! To mitigate this risk, ensure your Windows system is updated to the latest patches from Microsoft. Regularly audit user permissions and limit access to sensitive areas of your systems to minimize potential impacts. You've got this! By following these steps, you'll keep your system secure and maintain hero status in the fight against vulnerabilities! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
7.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.00250 · 15.4th percentile
Weakness
CWE-362 · Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
Published
2025-12-09T23:16Z
Affected products (14)
ProductVersionsFixed in
microsoft/windows_10_1607< 10.0.14393.868810.0.14393.8688
microsoft/windows_10_1607< 10.0.14393.868810.0.14393.8688
microsoft/windows_10_1809< 10.0.17763.814610.0.17763.8146
microsoft/windows_10_1809< 10.0.17763.814610.0.17763.8146
microsoft/windows_10_21h2< 10.0.19044.669110.0.19044.6691
microsoft/windows_10_22h2< 10.0.19045.669110.0.19045.6691
microsoft/windows_11_23h2< 10.0.22631.634510.0.22631.6345
microsoft/windows_11_24h2< 10.0.26100.739210.0.26100.7392
microsoft/windows_11_25h2< 10.0.26200.739210.0.26200.7392
microsoft/windows_server_2016< 10.0.14393.868810.0.14393.8688
microsoft/windows_server_2019< 10.0.17763.814610.0.17763.8146
microsoft/windows_server_2022< 10.0.20348.446710.0.20348.4467
microsoft/windows_server_2022_23h2< 10.0.25398.202510.0.25398.2025
microsoft/windows_server_2025< 10.0.26100.739210.0.26100.7392
References (1)
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 09 DEC 17:56Z
    Windows Shell Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    cvelistv5