CVE-2025-29824
vulnerability analysis and mitigation

Overview

CVE-2025-29824 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) Driver that was discovered and disclosed in April 2025. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Windows operating systems, including Windows Server and Windows desktop versions. This security flaw was identified as being actively exploited in the wild and was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog on April 8, 2025 (CISA Alert, NVD).

Technical details

The vulnerability is a use-after-free condition in the Windows Common Log File System Driver that allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally. It has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (High), with a vector string of CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. The exploit targets a vulnerability in the CLFS kernel driver and utilizes memory corruption and the RtlSetAllBits API to overwrite the exploit process's token with the value 0xFFFFFFFF, enabling all privileges for the process (Help Net Security, Hacker News).

Impact

When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows an authorized attacker to elevate their privileges to SYSTEM level on compromised Windows machines. This level of access enables attackers to gain complete control over the affected system, potentially leading to widespread deployment of malware or ransomware within an environment (Help Net Security).

Mitigation and workarounds

Microsoft has released security updates to address this vulnerability as part of its April 2025 Patch Tuesday. However, the security updates for Windows 10 for x64-based systems and Windows 10 for 32-bit systems were not immediately available at release. Organizations are advised to monitor the CLFS driver closely using EDR/XDR tools, including watching for processes interacting with clfs.sys, being spawned by it, or showing anomalous behavior when communicating with other drivers or memory spaces (Help Net Security).

Community reactions

The security community has noted that CLFS vulnerabilities have become increasingly common targets, with Microsoft patching 32 CLFS vulnerabilities since 2022, averaging 10 each year. This particular vulnerability marks the second Windows zero-day flaw to be delivered via PipeMagic after CVE-2025-24983, highlighting a concerning trend in attack patterns (Help Net Security).

Additional resources


SourceThis report was generated using AI

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