Vulnerability · CVE-2025-9491
Microsoft Windows User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information
Published Oct 30, 2025 · corrected/updated Oct 30, 2025 · Microsoft Windows · evidence confidence very high
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 e
Grounded briefings
Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.
Executive
CVE-2025-9491 is a unknown public vulnerability record for Microsoft Windows. CISA lists it as known exploited. Published remediation guidance: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.
System administrator
Identify whether Microsoft Windows is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: Microsoft Windows. Published remediation guidance: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.
Security analyst
Signals on file: no CVSS/EPSS yet. CISA lists it as known exploited. Sources contributing to this record: vulncheck_kev. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.
Exploitation and remediation
Exploitation evidence
Confirmed in CISA KEV since Oct 30, 2025. Listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV.
Patch and remediation
Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.
Safe detection guidance
Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.
Technology hubs
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
No public source repository is identified for this product.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Oct 30, 2025 · VulnCheck KEV
Detected
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. Crafte
Oct 30, 2025 · CISA KEV
Known exploited
Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.
Affected
- vendor Microsoft Windowsversion unspecified
Sources
- VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-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
vulncheck.com