Are You at Risk? Discover the Critical Flaws Fixed in Microsoft’s May 2025 Patch Tuesday

Is Your System Safe? Powerful Insights Into Microsoft’s May 2025 Security Update

Microsoft’s May 2025 Patch Tuesday delivers a vital set of security updates, addressing a significant number of vulnerabilities across Windows, Office, Azure, and other Microsoft products. This update is especially urgent, as several of the vulnerabilities are actively exploited zero-days, putting unpatched systems at severe risk.

Key Highlights of the May 2025 Security Update

• Total Vulnerabilities Addressed: 74–76 (depending on reporting source), including 5–7 zero-days.
• Critical and Important Flaws: 12 vulnerabilities are rated as critical, with the remainder classified as important.
• Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: Five vulnerabilities are confirmed as actively exploited in the wild, demanding immediate attention.
• Product Coverage: Updates span Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server, Microsoft Office, Azure, Microsoft Defender, Remote Desktop Gateway, Visual Studio, and more.
• Quality Improvements: Notable enhancements for Windows 11 include AI-powered features and improved user experience updates.

Urgent Action Required

Immediate Patching

System administrators and users are strongly advised to apply these updates without delay to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks, data breaches, and privilege escalation.

Extended Security for Legacy Systems

Windows Server 2012/R2 requires an Extended Security Update (ESU) license to continue receiving patches through October 2026.

Most Noteworthy Vulnerabilities Fixed

Below are some of the most dangerous vulnerabilities addressed in this release, several of which are already being exploited:

CVE-2025-30397 – Scripting Engine Memory Corruption

Severity: Important (CVSS 7.5)

Impact: Remote code execution if a user clicks a malicious link in Edge’s Internet Explorer mode

Status: Zero-day, exploited in the wild

CVE-2025-30400 – Microsoft DWM Core Library Elevation of Privilege

Severity: Important (CVSS 7.8)

Impact: Local privilege escalation via use-after-free vulnerability

Status: Zero-day, exploited in the wild

CVE-2025-32701, CVE-2025-32706, CVE-2025-30385 – Windows Common Log File System Driver Elevation of Privilege

Severity: Important (CVSS 7.8)

Impact: Local privilege escalation and potential system crash

Status: Two exploited as zero-days; one “Exploitation More Likely”

CVE-2025-26685 – Microsoft Defender for Identity Spoofing

Severity: Important (CVSS 6.5)

Impact: Allows unauthenticated LAN attackers to spoof identities

Status: Publicly known before patch release

CVE-2025-32709 – Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege

Severity: Important (CVSS 7.8)

Impact: Privilege escalation to administrator

Status: Zero-day, exploited in the wild

CVE-2025-32702 – Visual Studio Remote Code Execution

Severity: Important (CVSS 7.8)

Impact: Local unauthenticated code execution

Status: Noted as important

Types of Vulnerabilities Addressed

• Remote Code Execution (RCE): 28 vulnerabilities, including 5 critical
• Elevation of Privilege (EoP): 17–18 vulnerabilities
• Information Disclosure: 14–15 vulnerabilities
• Denial of Service (DoS): 7 vulnerabilities
• Spoofing & Security Feature Bypass: 2 vulnerabilities in each category

What’s New for Windows 11 and 10 Users?

• Cumulative Updates: All security and non-security fixes are included in a single monthly update for Windows 10/11 and their server counterparts.
• Feature Enhancements: Windows 11 users receive AI-powered features and improved file management tools.

How to Stay Protected

Apply Updates Promptly

Use Windows Update or Microsoft Update Catalog to install the latest patches.

Review Microsoft’s Security Guide

For the full list of CVEs and detailed update notes, refer to Microsoft’s official resources.

Monitor for Exploits

Stay alert for new attack campaigns leveraging these vulnerabilities, especially those already exploited in the wild.

This month’s Patch Tuesday is a critical update cycle that addresses a dangerous set of vulnerabilities, including several zero-days actively exploited in the wild. Immediate patching is essential to safeguard your systems against privilege escalation, remote code execution, and spoofing attacks. Stay vigilant, keep your systems updated, and regularly review Microsoft’s security advisories to maintain a robust security posture