CVE-2023-21725

Local privilege escalation via improper link resolution

Published Jan 10, 2023 · Updated Jan 1, 2025

Link-following in Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool before 5.109.19957.1 allows local users to elevate privileges. Microsoft identifies improper link resolution before file access, but has not disclosed the affected path, operation, or attacker-controlled link sequence. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and a high-complexity race against a privileged tool execution; success grants elevated privileges.

CVSS severity6.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.38%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link-following in Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool before 5.109.19957.1 allows local users to elevate privileges. Microsoft identifies improper link resolution before file access, but has not disclosed the affected path, operation, or attacker-controlled link sequence. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and a high-complexity race against a privileged tool execution; success grants elevated privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21725
Published
Jan 10, 2023
Updated
Jan 1, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
Classifications
CWE-59, CWE-362, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 10, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 1, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.0.0 <5.109.19957.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Malicious Software Removal Toolversion=5.0.0 <5.109.19957.1

Published CVSS scores

6.3Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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