SYSTEM privilege escalation via driver use-after-free
Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated Apr 16, 2026
Use-after-free in the Microsoft Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver allows local users to elevate privileges to SYSTEM. Microsoft identifies a use-after-free in the driver but has not disclosed the responsible routine, freed object, or triggering operation. A user must already have local low-privilege access; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM privileges and control of the host.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Microsoft Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver allows local users to elevate privileges to SYSTEM. Microsoft identifies a use-after-free in the driver but has not disclosed the responsible routine, freed object, or triggering operation. A user must already have local low-privilege access; successful exploitation grants SYSTEM privileges and control of the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-62221
- Published
- Dec 9, 2025
- Updated
- Apr 16, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 16, 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 <10.0.17763.8146
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.
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 catalog listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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