CVE-2025-9491: windows 11 23h2 (CVSS 7.8)

Description

Microsoft Windows LNK File UI Misrepresentation Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Microsoft Windows. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the handling of .LNK files. Crafted data in an .LNK file can cause hazardous content in the file to be invisible to a user who inspects the file via the Windows-provided user interface. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-25373.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-451 CWE-451

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
microsoft	windows_11_23h2	All

References

Other References

https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-148/ https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/advisory/ADV25258226 https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/a55789d49c395a9b16cb56b0544266d9ecee409fa3c5fead8082f28c2aff4e76

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-9491? +

Microsoft Windows LNK File UI Misrepresentation Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Microsoft Windows. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the handling of .LNK files. Crafted data in an .LNK file can cause hazardous content in the file to be invisible to a user who inspects the file via the Windows-provided user interface. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-25373. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2025-9491? +

CVE-2025-9491 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-9491? +

CVE-2025-9491 affects products from microsoft, specifically: windows_11_23h2. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-9491? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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