Microsoft · Windows
CVE-2025-21418
Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
What it is
Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CISA: Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock contains a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation, enabling a local attacker to gain SYSTEM privileges.
What to do
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Deadline for US federal agencies: March 4, 2025
More exploited flaws from Microsoft
| Added | Vulnerability | Product | Severity | Attack chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Command Injection | Windows | High 8.8 | 9.8% |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Link Following | Windows | High 7.8 | 0.4% |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Heap-Based Buffer Overflow | Windows | High 7.8 | 0.4% |
| May 20, 2026 | Buffer Overflow | Windows | Critical 9.8 | 99% |
| Apr 28, 2026 | Protection Mechanism Failure | Windows | Medium 4.3 | 71% |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Out-of-Bounds Read | Windows | High 7.8 | 12% |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Link Following | Windows | High 7.8 | 4.6% |
| Feb 17, 2026 | Microsoft Windows Video ActiveX Control Remote Code Execution | Windows | High 8.8 | 77% |
Sources: Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (CISA, public domain), CVE records (cve.org) and EPSS (FIRST). The chance of attacks is the EPSS estimate that someone will try to exploit the flaw in the next 30 days.