Local privilege escalation via uninitialized kernel resource
Published Oct 14, 2025 · Updated Feb 22, 2026
Use of an uninitialized resource in the Microsoft Windows Kernel allows local users on affected Windows 11 and Windows Server builds to elevate privileges. Microsoft has not disclosed the resource, code path, or operation that leaves it uninitialized. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a condition reflected in Microsoft's high-complexity rating; success grants elevated privileges on the host.
Summary
What happened
Use of an uninitialized resource in the Microsoft Windows Kernel allows local users on affected Windows 11 and Windows Server builds to elevate privileges. Microsoft has not disclosed the resource, code path, or operation that leaves it uninitialized. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a condition reflected in Microsoft's high-complexity rating; success grants elevated privileges on the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-59194
- Published
- Oct 14, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 22, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
- Classifications
- CWE-908, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 14, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 22, 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=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6899
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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