Vulnerabilities CVE-2025-9491 Detail Modified This CVE record has been updated after NVD enrichment efforts were completed. Enrichment data supplied by the NVD may require amendment due to these changes. 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. Metrics NVD enrichment efforts reference publicly available information to associate vector strings. CVSS information contributed by other sources is also displayed. CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings: NIST: NVD N/A NVD assessment not yet provided. ADP: CISA-ADP CVSS-B 4.6 MEDIUM Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings: NIST: NVD Base Score: 7.8 HIGH Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H CNA: Zero Day Initiative Base Score: 7.0 HIGH Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H ADP: CISA-ADP Base Score: 3.3 LOW Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N CVSS 2.0 Severity and Vector Strings: NIST: NVD Base Score: N/A NVD assessment not yet provided. References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools By selecting these links, you will be leaving NIST webspace. We have provided these links to other web sites because they may have information that would be of interest to you. No inferences should be drawn on account of other sites being referenced, or not, from this page. There may be other web sites that are more appropriate for your purpose. NIST does not necessarily endorse the views expressed, or concur with the facts presented on these sites. Further, NIST does not endorse any commercial products that may be mentioned on these sites. Please address comments about this page to [email protected] . URL Source(s) Tag(s) https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/advisory/ADV25258226 CISA-ADP https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/a55789d49c395a9b16cb56b0544266d9ecee409fa3c5fead8082f28c2aff4e76 CISA-ADP https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-148/ Zero Day Initiative Third Party Advisory Weakness Enumeration CWE-ID CWE Name Source CWE-451 User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information Zero Day Initiative Known Affected Software Configurations Switch to CPE 2.2 CPEs loading, please wait. Change History 3 change records found show changes CVE Modified by CISA-ADP 11/05/2025 4:15:36 PM Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N Added Reference https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/advisory/ADV25258226 Added Reference https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/a55789d49c395a9b16cb56b0544266d9ecee409fa3c5fead8082f28c2aff4e76 Initial Analysis by NIST 9/03/2025 1:31:33 PM Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_11_23h2:10.0.22631.4169:*:*:*:*:*:x64:* Added Reference Type Zero Day Initiative: https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-148/ Types: Third Party Advisory New CVE Received from Zero Day Initiative 8/26/2025 1:15:41 PM Action Type Old Value New Value Added 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. Added CVSS V3 AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Added CWE CWE-451 Added Reference https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-25-148/ Quick Info CVE Dictionary Entry: CVE-2025-9491 NVD Published Date: 08/26/2025 NVD Last Modified: 11/05/2025 Source: Zero Day Initiative