CVE Alert: CVE-2025-54110 – Microsoft – Windows 10 Version 1809

Risk verdict

High risk: kernel privilege escalation with local access potential, but no explicit exploitation in the wild indicated by current indicators.

Why this matters

Compromise at kernel level grants total control over the host, enabling persistence, data theft or destructive actions. The breadth of affected Windows versions and architectures means a large portion of enterprise endpoints and some servers are exposed, increasing the window for targeted or opportunistic attacks once an attacker gains local access.

Most likely attack path

An attacker with a valid, low-privilege account on a Windows host could trigger the kernel overflow locally without user interaction, elevating to SYSTEM. The vulnerability’s Scope Changed suggests the impact could extend beyond the initial process. Remote exploitation is unlikely; the route hinges on local access and existing footholds, with potential post-exploitation privilege abuse and lateral movement within the same host.

Who is most exposed

Organizations with mixed Windows 10/11 desktops and Windows Server deployments still running affected builds, including older 1809/2019-era systems and newer Server variants, across x86, x64, ARM64, and Server Core installations.

Detection ideas

• Logs showing privilege escalation to SYSTEM or 4672-style events.
• Unusual process creation patterns or token duplication on kernel-heavy processes.
• Kernel-mode driver load anomalies or unexpected memory/exception events.
• BSODs or memory fault dumps indicative of kernel misuse.
• EDR alerts targeting privilege escalation or kernel memory abuse.

Mitigation and prioritisation

• Apply the Microsoft security updates for all affected builds promptly.
• If KEV is true or EPSS ≥ 0.5, treat as priority 1; otherwise maintain high-priority patching.
• Enforce least privilege, review admin accounts, enable MFA for privileged access.
• Enable mitigations such as credential guard, application whitelisting, and kernel-dma protection where feasible.
• Test patches in staging, update baseline images, and monitor post-deployment for unusual kernel activity.