CVE-2025-32709 - PatchNow

📋 Vulnerability Details

Data Source: CIRCL

Confidence: HIGH

Exploitation Method: OTHER

CVE Published: 2025-05-13

Added to CISA KEV: 2025-05-13 0 DAY BETWEEN CVE AND KEV

🎯 Recommendations:

CRITICAL: Check for indicators of compromise - this vulnerability is in CISA KEV indicating active exploitation in the wild. Review logs for unusual privilege escalation activities, check for unauthorized administrative access, verify system integrity
Apply Microsoft security updates immediately across all Windows systems
Monitor for suspicious local privilege escalation attempts in Windows Event Logs
Implement principle of least privilege to limit impact of successful exploitation
Priority: CRITICAL - Patch immediately due to active exploitation and wide attack surface

🔍 Web Intelligence (Kagi · 2026-06-04)

CVE-2025-32709 is a security vulnerability in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (`AFD.sys`), a core component of the Windows networking subsystem ^[2]. It was disclosed and addressed as part of Microsoft’s May 2025 security updates ^[3].

Vulnerability Overview

Type: Use-After-Free (UAF) ^[4]. (Note: Some sources also reference a null pointer dereference, but the primary classification in security advisories is a use-after-free condition ^[1] ^[6]).
Impact: Successful exploitation allows an authorized, local attacker to elevate their privileges on the affected system ^[4].

Exploitation and Threat Landscape

Active Exploitation: Reports have indicated that this vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild prior to the release of the security patches ^[5].
Attack Requirements:

* Local Access: Exploitation requires the attacker to already have local access to the target system ^[2]. * Authorization: The attacker must be an authorized user on the system to execute the necessary code to trigger the vulnerability ^[1]. * User Interaction: Generally, local privilege escalation vulnerabilities of this nature do not require specific user interaction beyond the attacker running a malicious program or script on the system.

Usage in Campaigns: While it has been identified as being exploited in the wild, specific details regarding its use in widespread ransomware campaigns versus targeted, espionage-style attacks have not been publicly detailed in major security reports. It is common for such local privilege escalation flaws to be used as a secondary stage in an attack chain to gain higher-level permissions after an initial compromise.

Mitigation and Status

Patch Status: Microsoft released security updates to address this vulnerability in May 2025 ^[3].
Recommendation: Organizations and users should ensure that all Windows systems are fully updated with the latest security patches provided by Microsoft to mitigate the risk of exploitation. There are no known public workarounds that provide the same level of protection as applying the official security update.

Sources

CVE-2025-32709 Detail - NVD
Description. Null pointer dereference in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. Metrics.
CVE-2025-32709 - Exploiting Use-After-Free in Windows Ancillary ...
On April 10, 2025, a new local privilege escalation vulnerability was uncovered in Microsoft Windows' core network subsystem, specifically in the Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (AFD.sys). Tracked as CVE-2025-32709, this vulnerability centers around a *use-after-free* (UAF) condition. Unlike r…
Microsoft Releases May 2025 Security Updates - NHS England Digital
CVE-2025-32709 - Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. CVE-2025-32709 is an 'Use-After-Free ...
NVD - CVE-2025-32709
CVE-2025-32709 is a use after free vulnerability in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock that allows local privilege escalation. NVD provides CVSS scores, CWE ID, affected software configurations, and vendor advisories for this vulnerability.
Windows AFD.sys Zero-Day CVE-2025-32709 - ZeroPath
Attackers have been actively exploiting CVE-2025-32709, a critical use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft's Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock ( ...
CVE-2025-32709 - GitHub Advisory Database
High severity Unreviewed Published on May 13, 2025 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated on Oct 21, 2025 ... Use after free in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.