Credential disclosure via trusted-zone path misclassification
Published Jan 14, 2025 · Updated Jun 9, 2026
Improper path resolution in Windows MapUrlToZone allows remote attackers to expose credentials through a crafted path after user interaction. MapUrlToZone treats a shell:NetworkPlacesFolder path containing three backslashes and a remote share as Local Machine content. Opening content that uses the path can send NTLM authentication material to the attacker-controlled share, while no integrity or availability impact is reported.
Summary
What happened
Improper path resolution in Windows MapUrlToZone allows remote attackers to expose credentials through a crafted path after user interaction. MapUrlToZone treats a shell:NetworkPlacesFolder path containing three backslashes and a remote share as Local Machine content. Opening content that uses the path can send NTLM authentication material to the attacker-controlled share, while no integrity or availability impact is reported.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-21189
- Published
- Jan 14, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 9, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-41, T1187
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 14, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 9, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.10240.0 <10.0.10240.20890
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
- Microsoft shell:NetworkPlacesFolder trigger pathproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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