CVE-2025-55223

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.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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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

  1. Sep 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7792

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7792
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6584
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 24H2version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6584
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H2version=10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.6332
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)version=10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.1849
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 22H3version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.5909
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 22H2version=10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.6332
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7792
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 23H2version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.5909
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 22H2version=10.0.22621.0 <10.0.22621.5909
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.4171
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6584
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7792

Published CVSS scores

7.0Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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-416Use After Free
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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