CVE-2025-59194

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.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability2.67%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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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

  1. Oct 14, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6899

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6899
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 25H2version=10.0.26200.0 <10.0.26200.6899
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 24H2version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6899
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)version=10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.1913
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 22H3version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6060
Microsoft · Windows 11 Version 23H2version=10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.6060
Microsoft · Windows 11, version 22H2version=10.0.22621.0 <10.0.22621.6060
Microsoft · Windows Server 2025version=10.0.26100.0 <10.0.26100.6899

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-908Use of Uninitialized Resource
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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