VDB-319688 · CVE-2025-53788 · EUVD-2025-24281

Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux toctou

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
6.4	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux. The affected element is an unknown function. Such manipulation leads to toctou. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2025-53788. The attack must be carried out locally. There is no available exploit. Applying a patch is advised to resolve this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (unknown version). It has been rated as critical. Affected by this issue is an unknown code block. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a toctou vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-367. The product checks the state of a resource before using that resource, but the resource's state can change between the check and the use in a way that invalidates the results of the check. This can cause the product to perform invalid actions when the resource is in an unexpected state. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Time-of-check time-of-use (toctou) race condition in Windows Subsystem for Linux allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

The weakness was presented 08/12/2025 as confirmed security update guide (Website). The advisory is shared for download at msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2025-53788. The exploitation is known to be difficult. The attack needs to be approached locally. There are neither technical details nor an exploit publicly available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 08/19/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 250272 (Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) < 2.5.10 Kernel Elevation of Privilege (August 2025)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (250272) and EUVD (EUVD-2025-24281). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

Type

Operating System

Vendor

Microsoft

Name

Windows Subsystem for Linux

License

commercial

Website

Vendor: https://www.microsoft.com/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.4

VulDB Base Score: 7.0
VulDB Temp Score: 6.1
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Vendor Base Score (Microsoft): 7.0
Vendor Vector (Microsoft): 🔒

CNA Base Score: 7.0
CNA Vector (Microsoft): 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
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Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Toctou
CWE: CWE-367 / CWE-362
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔒
Status: Unproven

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 250272
Nessus Name: Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) < 2.5.10 Kernel Elevation of Privilege (August 2025)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔒
0-Day Time: 🔒
Exposure Time: 🔒

Timelineinfo

08/12/2025 VulDB entry created
08/12/2025 +0 days Advisory disclosed
08/12/2025 +0 days Countermeasure disclosed
08/19/2025 +6 days VulDB entry last update