Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Windows Administrator Protection by Microsoft

CVE-2025-60718

What is CVE-2025-60718?

CVE-2025-60718 is a privilege escalation vulnerability found in Microsoft's Windows Administrator Protection. This vulnerability emerges from an untrusted search path, which can be exploited by an authorized attacker to gain elevated privileges on a system. Such privilege escalation can allow the attacker to execute operations or commands that would typically require higher permissions. The potential consequences of this vulnerability may lead organizations to face unauthorized access to sensitive data or critical system configurations that could jeopardize the integrity and security of their systems.

Potential impact of CVE-2025-60718

1. Unauthorized Data Access: With elevated privileges, an attacker could gain unchecked access to sensitive information, potentially leading to data breaches that could involve personal, financial, or proprietary data.

2. System Configuration Manipulation: Exploiting this vulnerability could allow an attacker to make unauthorized changes to system configurations, potentially destabilizing systems or embedding backdoors for future attacks.

3. Increased Malware Risks: The ability to escalate privileges could serve as a pathway for further criminal activities, such as deploying ransomware or other forms of malware, leading to additional financial and operational impacts on affected organizations.

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