SYSTEM privilege escalation via link-following file access
Published Nov 11, 2025 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Link following in Host Process for Windows Tasks in affected Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 builds allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. The host process resolves an attacker-controlled link before privileged file access, causing access to follow an attacker-selected target; Microsoft has not disclosed the particular path or API. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and grants full SYSTEM control.
Summary
What happened
Link following in Host Process for Windows Tasks in affected Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 builds allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. The host process resolves an attacker-controlled link before privileged file access, causing access to follow an attacker-selected target; Microsoft has not disclosed the particular path or API. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and grants full SYSTEM control.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-60710
- Published
- Nov 11, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
- Classifications
- CWE-59, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 11, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 15, 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 <10.0.26100.7462
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.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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