Local privilege escalation via graphics-kernel race
Published Sep 9, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026
Privilege escalation in the DirectX Graphics Kernel in affected Windows releases allows local users to gain elevated privileges. Unsynchronized concurrent access to a shared graphics-kernel resource leads to use-after-free; Microsoft has not disclosed the affected routine or object. Exploitation requires existing low-privilege local access and winning a high-complexity race; success grants elevated privileges with control over system data and execution.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in the DirectX Graphics Kernel in affected Windows releases allows local users to gain elevated privileges. Unsynchronized concurrent access to a shared graphics-kernel resource leads to use-after-free; Microsoft has not disclosed the affected routine or object. Exploitation requires existing low-privilege local access and winning a high-complexity race; success grants elevated privileges with control over system data and execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-55223
- Published
- Sep 9, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 26, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-416, CWE-362, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 26, 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=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7792
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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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