What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-49685?

CVE-2025-49685 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.1%.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2025-49685?

Within 24 hours: Identify all Windows systems running Search Component and verify current patch status. Within 7 days: Apply Microsoft's available security patch to all affected Windows endpoints prioritizing systems with high-privilege user accounts. Within 30 days: Validate patch deployment across the environment and update vulnerability scanning baselines to confirm remediation.

Windows CVE-2025-49685

Q: Which versions of Windows are affected by CVE-2025-49685?

CVE-2025-49685 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Search Component that allows authenticated local users to gain elevated system privileges through a use-after-free memory…. A patch is available.

EUVD-2025-20565 HIGH

Use After Free (CWE-416)

2025-07-08 secure@microsoft.com

Windows Denial Of Service Use After Free Memory Corruption Microsoft Windows 10 1809 Windows 10 21h2 Windows 10 22h2 Windows 11 22h2 Windows 11 23h2 Windows Server 2019 Windows Server 2022 Windows Server 2022 23h2

7.0

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness	CWE CWE-416 OWASP Top 10:2025 A06:2021 - Vulnerable and Outdated Components ASVS 5.0 V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Memory lifecycle management MITRE ATT&CK 2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Privilege Escalation The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. Sign in to read
Impact	Memory corruption that can be exploited for arbitrary code execution, information disclosure, or denial of service. With a CVSS score of 7.0 (HIGH), this represents a significant risk.
Exploit ScenarioDerived	An attacker triggers a specific sequence of operations that causes the application to free a memory block and then reference it again, potentially executing attacker-controlled data.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).

Patch available 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 16, 2026

Use after free in Microsoft Windows Search Component allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)

v1 Mar 16, 2026 - 04:21 CVSS 7.0

RemediationAI

Use memory-safe languages. Implement proper object lifecycle management. Use static and dynamic analysis tools to detect UAF patterns.

Affected VersionsENISA

Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) 10.0.25398.0 <10.0.25398.1732

Windows 11 version 22H3 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.5624

Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.3932

Windows 11 Version 23H2 10.0.22631.0 <10.0.22631.5624

Windows 10 Version 1809 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7558

Windows 10 Version 21H2 10.0.19044.0 <10.0.19044.6093

Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7558

Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7558

Windows 11 version 22H2 10.0.22621.0 <10.0.22621.5624

Windows 10 Version 22H2 10.0.19045.0 <10.0.19045.6093

Affected Packages

euvd windows_10_version_1809 fix: 10.0.17763.7558

euvd windows_10_version_21h2 fix: 10.0.19044.6093

euvd windows_10_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.19045.6093

euvd windows_11_version_22h2 fix: 10.0.22621.5624

euvd windows_11_version_22h3 fix: 10.0.22631.5624

euvd windows_11_version_23h2 fix: 10.0.22631.5624

euvd windows_server_2019 fix: 10.0.17763.7558

euvd windows_server_2019_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.17763.7558

euvd windows_server_2022 fix: 10.0.20348.3932

euvd windows_server_2022_23h2_edition_server_core_installation fix: 10.0.25398.1732

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 10 packages in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

A use-after-free vulnerability occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the referenced memory has been freed, leading to undefined behavior. This vulnerability is classified as Use After Free (CWE-416).

Know when Windows gets its next vulnerability

Watch products and get an email when something new is published
Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

Continue with Google Continue with GitHub

No credit card · 7-day full trial

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.0 HIGH

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

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

High

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Lifecycle Timeline

Analysis Updated

Apr 16, 2026 - 06:30 EUVD-patch-fix

executive summary

Patch available

Apr 16, 2026 - 05:29 EUVD

10.0.25398.1732,10.0.22631.5624,10.0.20348.3932

CVE Published

Jul 08, 2025 - 17:15 nvd

HIGH 7.0

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

CVE-2025-49685 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Search Component that allows authenticated local users to gain elevated system privileges through a use-after-free memory flaw. This affects any Windows environment where users have local access, creating a direct pathway for insiders or lateral-movement attackers to escalate from standard user to administrative rights.

Business Impact: High

Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score

0.1%

Top 84% exploitable

Data Quality

4 sources

Confidence: Medium

EUVD

NVD

CVE.org

EPSS

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue

Severity HIGH

CISA KEV No

Public POC No

EPSS 0.1%

Patch available Yes

Active threat No

Deciding rule

HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)

What every action level means

Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.

Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived

Scheduled

Exploitation· derived

None

System Exposure· derived

Small

Automatable· derived

Human Impact

High

Priority Score

Low Medium High Critical

KEV: 0

EPSS: 0

CVSS: +35

PoC: 0

Weaponized: 0

Threat intel: 0

Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Use After Free HIGH

Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to access memory through a pointer after that memory has been deallocated.

Memory Corruption HIGH

Memory corruption occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions or accesses memory in unintended ways, violating the integrity of the process's address space.

Denial of Service MEDIUM

Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.