CriticalCVE-2025-33053

    Internet Shortcut Files Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2025-33053)

    Published In CISA KEV since Sources: pwn.watch, CVE.org, Msrc Update Guide

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    What is affected, what to do

    External control of file name or path in Internet Shortcut Files allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

    The vulnerability is being actively exploited; treat it as a priority. Update Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 to version 10.0.10240.21034, Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607 to version 10.0.14393.8148, Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 to version 10.0.17763.7434. Immediate actions, mitigation and detection rules are in the runbook below.

    Affected
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 lt 10.0.10240.0..10.0.10240.21034
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607 lt 10.0.14393.0..10.0.14393.8148
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 lt 10.0.17763.0..10.0.17763.7434
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H2 lt 10.0.19044.0..10.0.19044.5965
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 22H2 lt 10.0.19045.0..10.0.19045.5965
    • Microsoft Windows 11 version 22H2 lt 10.0.22621.0..10.0.22621.5472
    • Microsoft Windows 11 version 22H3 lt 10.0.22631.0..10.0.22631.5472
    • Microsoft Windows 11 Version 23H2 lt 10.0.22631.0..10.0.22631.5472
    • Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2 lt 10.0.26100.0..10.0.26100.4349
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 lt 6.1.7601.0..6.1.7601.27769
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) lt 6.1.7601.0..6.1.7601.27769
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 lt 6.0.6003.0..6.0.6003.23351
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) lt 6.0.6003.0..6.0.6003.23351
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 lt 6.2.9200.0..6.2.9200.25522
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) lt 6.2.9200.0..6.2.9200.25522
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 lt 6.3.9600.0..6.3.9600.22620
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) lt 6.3.9600.0..6.3.9600.22620
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 lt 10.0.14393.0..10.0.14393.8148
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) lt 10.0.14393.0..10.0.14393.8148
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 lt 10.0.17763.0..10.0.17763.7434
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) lt 10.0.17763.0..10.0.17763.7434
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2022 lt 10.0.20348.0..10.0.20348.3807
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) lt 10.0.25398.0..10.0.25398.1665
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2025 lt 10.0.26100.0..10.0.26100.4349
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) lt 10.0.26100.0..10.0.26100.4349
    Fixed in
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 10.0.10240.21034
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607 10.0.14393.8148
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.7434
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.5965
    • Microsoft Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.5965
    • Microsoft Windows 11 version 22H2 10.0.22621.5472
    • Microsoft Windows 11 version 22H3 10.0.22631.5472
    • Microsoft Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.5472
    • Microsoft Windows 11 Version 24H2 10.0.26100.4349
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 6.1.7601.27769
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) 6.1.7601.27769
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 6.0.6003.23351
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) 6.0.6003.23351
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 6.2.9200.25522
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) 6.2.9200.25522
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 6.3.9600.22620
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) 6.3.9600.22620
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.8148
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) 10.0.14393.8148
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.7434
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.7434
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.3807
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) 10.0.25398.1665
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2025 10.0.26100.4349
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) 10.0.26100.4349

    Not sure whether and how you are affected? Ask a question about this vulnerability

    Metrics

    8.8

    Priority

    XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

    Source: NVD, CVSS v3

    8.8

    CVSS v3

    Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.

    Source: pwn.watch, CVE.org, Msrc Update Guide

    87.0 %

    EPSS score

    High — model estimates ≥ 50% chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days.

    Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 99.75

    Show all metrics
    Severity
    Critical
    Priority (0–325)

    The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?

    Read in glossary
    232.86 Methodology
    Exploit maturity

    An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.

    Read in glossary
    actively exploitedSource: VulnCheck KEV (opens in a new tab) How we classify
    XIEM Effective CVSS

    XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.

    Read in glossary
    8.8 Methodology
    CVSS v3

    CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.

    Read in glossary
    8.8
    EPSS score

    The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.

    Read in glossary
    87.0 %
    High — model estimates ≥ 50% chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days.
    EPSS percentile

    The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.

    Read in glossary
    99.75
    Critical — this CVE ranks in the top fifth of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 80%).
    KEV status

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited
    Published
    In CISA KEV since

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    CISA assessment (SSVC)
    Exploitation: active · not automatable · Technical impact: total
    Source: CISA Vulnrichment, as of 20 August 2025
    CWE

    CWE is a catalogue of typical weakness types in software and hardware — such as flawed input validation, unsafe memory handling or poor authentication. Where a CVE names a concrete vulnerability in a concrete product, a CWE describes the underlying class of defect.

    Read in glossary
    CWE-73

    Response and mitigation

    Why act now?

    Prioritisation rationale

    The flaw is reachable over the network without authentication and needs only a single user action – opening a crafted Internet Shortcut. That makes it a strong fit for spear-phishing, delivering full code execution in the user's context without any further exploit. Its exploitation likelihood is among the very highest, and the technique abuses signed Windows binaries, which undermines signature-based defences. CISA does not flag ransomware use, but the pattern suits espionage against government, defence and critical-infrastructure targets. Treat it as critical for any organisation with broad mail exposure: patch within 72 hours and disable WebClient today.

    1. Runbook step 1

      Immediate response (0-24 h)

      • Deploy Microsoft's June 2025 security update and verify build levels. Minimum patched builds:

        • Windows 10 1507 → 10.0.10240.21034
        • Windows 10 1607 → 10.0.14393.8148
        • Windows 10 1809 → 10.0.17763.7434
        • Windows 10 21H2/22H2 → 10.0.19044.5965 / 10.0.19045.5965
        • Windows 11 22H2 → 10.0.22621.5472
        • Windows 11 23H2 → 10.0.22631.5472

        Look up the KB numbers in the Microsoft Security Update Guide entry for CVE-2025-33053. The context lists no Windows Server builds; check the vendor advisory for those as well.

      • Patch the most exposed users first: mail- and web-facing workstations, executives, admins and jump hosts. Confirm coverage through Intune/SCCM compliance reporting or Get-ComputerInfo | Select OsBuildNumber.

      • Disable the WebClient service (WebDAV redirector) wherever it is not required. Use GPO → System Services → WebClient = Disabled; for an immediate stop, run sc config WebClient start= disabled && sc stop WebClient. This breaks the remote-WebDAV working-directory exploitation path.

      • Block or quarantine .url attachments at the mail gateway, including those nested in ZIP, RAR or ISO containers. Retro-hunt mailboxes for such attachments over the last 30 days.

      • Cut outbound WebDAV and SMB to the internet: block the PROPFIND, PROPPATCH and MKCOL methods to external destinations at the proxy, and deny TCP 445 and TCP 139 egress at the perimeter.

    2. Runbook step 2

      Mitigation layers

      • Network and egress: allow WebDAV only to approved destinations, such as your SharePoint tenant, via a proxy allowlist. Block the Microsoft-WebDAV-MiniRedir user agent to any non-allowlisted external host. SMB stays closed at the perimeter.
      • Mail and web filtering: block .url, .lnk, .library-ms and .searchConnector-ms as attachments and downloads. Add content inspection for .url files whose WorkingDirectory= points to UNC or WebDAV paths (\\, @SSL, DavWWWRoot). A YARA rule can match the strings "[InternetShortcut]" and "WorkingDirectory=\\\\" with the condition all of them.
      • Endpoint hardening: enforce Mark-of-the-Web and SmartScreen. Run the ASR rules "Block executable content from email client and webmail" and "Block execution of potentially obfuscated scripts" in block mode. Use AppLocker or WDAC to deny execution from UNC and WebDAV paths for standard users (path rule \\* → Deny).
      • Least privilege: keep standard users off local admin so follow-on persistence and credential theft are harder. Privileged accounts should never use mail-enabled workstations (tiering model).
      • Configuration: where WebDAV is a business requirement, scope WebClient to a defined device group and monitor that group more closely.

    3. Runbook step 3

      Detection rules

      • Sysmon EID 1 with a remote working directory: flag CurrentDirectory values that start with \\ or contain @SSL\DavWWWRoot or @80\. Sigma shape: CurrentDirectory|startswith: '\\\\' AND ParentImage|endswith: '\explorer.exe'. Treat it as high-fidelity when a legitimate Windows diagnostic or helper binary spawns children resolved from the WebDAV path. A publicly documented pattern is iediagcmd.exe launching helpers such as route.exe or netsh.exe from the working directory.
      • EDR process ancestry: explorer.exe → signed system binary → child whose image path is \\<host>@SSL\.... KQL: DeviceProcessEvents | where FolderPath startswith @"\\" or ProcessCurrentWorkingDirectory startswith @"\\" | where InitiatingProcessFileName in~ ("explorer.exe","iediagcmd.exe").
      • Redirector activity: look for rundll32.exe with command line davclnt.dll,DavSetCookie pointing at external hosts. Correlate it with Sysmon EID 3 connections from the WebClient svchost.exe to internet IPs on 80/443.
      • Network telemetry (Zeek/Suricata): search http.log for method == "PROPFIND" with a user agent containing Microsoft-WebDAV-MiniRedir to external destinations. Alert on first-seen or rare domains. Treat any outbound SMB to the internet as an incident.
      • File artefacts: Sysmon EID 11 / EID 15 for .url files created in Downloads, %TEMP% or Outlook cache (Content.Outlook), especially those carrying a Zone.Identifier with ZoneId=3.

    Detection rules

    No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

    Classification under NIS2 and CRA

    Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

    NIS2

    NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited: treat the vulnerability as a priority in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2. If it is exploited in your environment, check the reporting obligation under Art. 23 (early warning within 24 hours).
    CRA

    The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

    Read in glossary
    Since 11.09.2026, manufacturers of affected products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities under Art. 14 CRA, with an early warning within 24 hours via ENISA's single reporting platform.
    ISO/IEC 27001

    ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

    Read in glossary
    Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

    Description

    External control of file name or path in Internet Shortcut Files allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

    Source: pwn.watch, NVD (NIST), Microsoft Security Update Guide, cvelistv5, CISA KEV Catalog, CVE.org (MITRE)

    Affected products

    The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

    Affected products
    Affected versionsFixed in
    MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1507
    • 10.0.10240.0 – < 10.0.10240.21034
    • 10.0.10240.21034
    MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1607
    • 10.0.14393.0 – < 10.0.14393.8148
    • 10.0.14393.8148
    MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1809
    • 10.0.17763.0 – < 10.0.17763.7434
    • 10.0.17763.7434
    MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 21H2
    • 10.0.19044.0 – < 10.0.19044.5965
    • 10.0.19044.5965
    MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 22H2
    • 10.0.19045.0 – < 10.0.19045.5965
    • 10.0.19045.5965
    MicrosoftWindows 11 version 22H2
    • 10.0.22621.0 – < 10.0.22621.5472
    • 10.0.22621.5472
    MicrosoftWindows 11 version 22H3
    • 10.0.22631.0 – < 10.0.22631.5472
    • 10.0.22631.5472
    MicrosoftWindows 11 Version 23H2
    • 10.0.22631.0 – < 10.0.22631.5472
    • 10.0.22631.5472
    MicrosoftWindows 11 Version 24H2
    • 10.0.26100.0 – < 10.0.26100.4349
    • 10.0.26100.4349
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1
    • 6.1.7601.0 – < 6.1.7601.27769
    • 6.1.7601.27769
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
    • 6.1.7601.0 – < 6.1.7601.27769
    • 6.1.7601.27769
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2008 Service Pack 2
    • 6.0.6003.0 – < 6.0.6003.23351
    • 6.0.6003.23351
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
    • 6.0.6003.0 – < 6.0.6003.23351
    • 6.0.6003.23351
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2012
    • 6.2.9200.0 – < 6.2.9200.25522
    • 6.2.9200.25522
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
    • 6.2.9200.0 – < 6.2.9200.25522
    • 6.2.9200.25522
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2012 R2
    • 6.3.9600.0 – < 6.3.9600.22620
    • 6.3.9600.22620
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
    • 6.3.9600.0 – < 6.3.9600.22620
    • 6.3.9600.22620
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2016
    • 10.0.14393.0 – < 10.0.14393.8148
    • 10.0.14393.8148
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
    • 10.0.14393.0 – < 10.0.14393.8148
    • 10.0.14393.8148
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2019
    • 10.0.17763.0 – < 10.0.17763.7434
    • 10.0.17763.7434
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
    • 10.0.17763.0 – < 10.0.17763.7434
    • 10.0.17763.7434
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2022
    • 10.0.20348.0 – < 10.0.20348.3807
    • 10.0.20348.3807
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation)
    • 10.0.25398.0 – < 10.0.25398.1665
    • 10.0.25398.1665
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2025
    • 10.0.26100.0 – < 10.0.26100.4349
    • 10.0.26100.4349
    MicrosoftWindows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
    • 10.0.26100.0 – < 10.0.26100.4349
    • 10.0.26100.4349

    Vendors and products

    Affected operating systems

    Affected operating systems
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_10_1507—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_10_1607—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_10_1809—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_10_21h2—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_10_22h2—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_11_22h2—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_11_23h2—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_11_24h2—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2008r2
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2008—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2012r2
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2012—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2016—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2019—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2022—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2022_23h2—
    Windowsmicrosoftwindows_server_2025—

    Weakness classes (CWE)

    • CWE-73External Control of File Name or Path

      Base

      The product allows user input to control or influence paths or file names that are used in filesystem operations.

      Entry at MITRE CWE-73

    Public exploit references

    Publicly reported proof-of-concepts, exploit modules and detection templates for this vulnerability. NEOSEC links to the original sources only and does not provide any exploit code.

    Public exploit references
    CISA KEV CatalogCISA Known Exploited Vulnerability (opens in a new tab)cisa.govactively exploited

    References & sources

    • Microsoft Security Update GuideInternet Shortcut Files Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityVendor advisory, Patch, Vendor advisory
    • cisa.govknown-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-33053government-resource, US government resource
    • research.checkpoint.com2025/stealth-falcon-zero-dayExploit, Technical description
    • darkreading.comvulnerabilities-threats/stealth-falcon-apt-exploits-microsoft-r…Press coverage
    • therecord.mediamicrosoft-cisa-zero-day-turkish-defense-orgPress coverage
    • bleepingcomputer.comnews/security/stealth-falcon-hackers-exploited-windows-webdav-z…Press coverage
    • theregister.com2025/06/10/microsoft_patch_tuesday_junePress coverage
    • vicarius.iovsociety/posts/cve-2025-33053-mitigation-script-remote-code-exe…Exploit, Mitigation, Third-party advisory
    • vicarius.iovsociety/posts/cve-2025-33053-detection-script-remote-code-exec…Exploit, Third-party advisory
    • pwn.watchpwn.watch: Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerabilitypwn-watch
    • Microsoft Security Update GuideMicrosoft advisory: Microsoft Windowspwn-watch
    • NVD (NIST)NVD: CVE-2025-33053pwn-watch
    • cisa.govCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalogpwn-watch
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    <a href="https://intel.neosec.eu/en/cve/CVE-2025-33053"><img src="https://intel.neosec.eu/badge/cve/CVE-2025-33053.svg?lang=en" alt="CVE-2025-33053 – NEOSEC Intel" height="20"></a>