Dataprise Defense Digest: Critical Windows Vulnerabilities: Privilege Escalation and Remote Code Execution Risks in the Wild

Executive Summary

A new set of critical vulnerabilities discovered are affecting all supported versions of Microsoft Windows. These vulnerabilities target core components of Windows such as the Desktop Window Manager, Common Log File System (CLFS) driver, Microsoft Scripting Engine, and the WinSock Ancillary Function Driver.

These issues pose significant risks including local privilege escalation and remote code execution, which could allow attackers to gain system-level access or execute malicious code through deceptive URLs. 

Details

• CVE-2025-30400 – Privilege Escalation via Desktop Window Manager
  This vulnerability exists in the Desktop Window Manager (DWM), a core Windows component responsible for rendering visual elements. It allows an authenticated attacker with local access to elevate privileges on a vulnerable system. Exploitation may occur through malformed inter-process communication with the DWM, enabling attackers to execute code with higher privileges.
• CVE-2025-32701 & CVE-2025-32706 – Local Privilege Escalation in Common Log File System (CLFS) Driver
  These vulnerabilities are located in the CLFS driver, which manages logging across several Windows services. Attackers can exploit these flaws by crafting malicious log file structures or triggering specific driver interactions. Successful exploitation grants SYSTEM-level access to local users.
• CVE-2025-30397 – Remote Code Execution via Microsoft Scripting Engine
  A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in the Microsoft Scripting Engine, exploitable through a crafted URL. When a victim accesses a malicious site or opens a compromised file, the scripting engine mishandles objects in memory, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user.
• CVE-2025-32709 – Privilege Escalation via WinSock Ancillary Function Driver
  This vulnerability in the Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows local attackers to escalate privileges by exploiting improper handling of user-supplied data. It affects the core networking stack, making it a high-risk issue for systems that rely heavily on network communications.

Impact

Exploitation of these vulnerabilities can have serious consequences:

• CVE-2025-30400, CVE-2025-32701, CVE-2025-32706, CVE-2025-32709: All represent opportunities for local attackers to elevate system-level privileges, which can lead to complete compromise of targeted machines, installation of rootkits, lateral movement within networks, and evasion of detection mechanisms.
• CVE-2025-30397: Due to its remote exploitability, this RCE vulnerability presents the highest risk for widespread attacks. It can be weaponized in phishing campaigns or embedded in websites and malicious advertisements, enabling drive-by compromises of unpatched systems.

Organizations across all sectors, especially those using Windows infrastructure in high-assurance or exposed environments (government, finance, healthcare), are at elevated risk. As these flaws are being actively analyzed by threat actors, delayed remediation may lead to significant security breaches.

Mitigation Strategies

• Apply security patches immediately: Microsoft has released patches for these vulnerabilities. Ensure that all affected Windows systems are updated as soon as possible.
• Monitor for exploitation indicators: Track abnormal process behaviors related to dwm.exe, CLFS logs, and scripting engine activities. Leverage endpoint detection tools to catch early-stage privilege escalation attempts.
• Enforce least privilege access: Reduce the attack surface by limiting administrative access and ensuring users operate with minimal necessary privileges.
• Deploy behavior-based security tools: Use modern EDR/XDR solutions to detect suspicious behavior like privilege escalation attempts or scripting engine abuse.
• User awareness and phishing protection: Educate users on phishing risks, especially those linked to RCE vectors such as malicious URLs or email attachments.
• Harden system configurations: Disable scripting in browsers where not needed, use browser isolation technologies, and ensure CLFS and ancillary drivers are updated and monitored.

Sources

• Microsoft Security Updates – May 2025
• NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
• Recorded Future Threat Intelligence – May 2025 Analysis
• CISA Vulnerability Bulletins

Contributing Authors

• Daniel Felzke, Senior Director, Incident Response
• Kate Burkova, Cybersecurity Engineer
• Tyler Rigsby, Incident Response Manager
• Nima Khamooshi, Vice President, Cybersecurity