A recent Microsoft security vulnerability in Windows NTLM has caused waves of panic among these users and cybersecurity experts. Malicious actors have thoroughly taken advantage of the flaw, CVE-2025-24054, since as early as March 19, 2025. This vulnerability is a hash disclosure information leak spoofing bug. Microsoft has covered this critical hole during their Patch Tuesday updates in March 2025, giving vital protections to affected accounts.
This is reflected by the CVSS score of the vulnerability which is calculated at 6.5, thus showing a medium severity. For an unknown reason, this flaw only affects user accounts created before December 2022, and accounts created after this date are not affected. In particular, notice the fact that accounts on the FBI’s Most Wanted list aren’t subject to this security loophole. The cybersecurity landscape is always changing. Recent successful exploitation of this vulnerability underscores how users and organizations remain attractive targets for today’s threat actors.
Details of the Vulnerability
CVE-2025-24054 is the biggest issue in this wave since it enables attackers to leak NTLM hashes or user passwords. By taking advantage of this vulnerability, attackers can compromise target systems and even access confidential data. This vulnerability is a hash disclosure hash collision spoofing bug. As it can be abused through costly attack vectors, this raises the critical importance for software providers to release updates and patches in a timely manner.
Microsoft’s proactive response to this issue highlights the company’s commitment to cybersecurity. In fact, much to their credit, they delivered this security patch even through their normal Patch Tuesday monthly update cycle. This move greatly reduces the threat posed by the vulnerability. We urge users to immediately patch these updates to protect their systems from being exploited in the wild.
Exploitation Techniques Used
The attacks exploiting this vulnerability have used a variety of custom and open-source malware. One of the most interesting components of the attack is a dropper called SNOWLIGHT. This dropper makes it possible to deploy in-memory malware such as VShell. …yet it hugely increases the attackers’ capacity to compromise systems they target.
Attribution of these attacks has been mapped back to a group known as UNC5174. This shadowy organization has since received international attention for its advanced cyber attacks. Their implementation of advanced malware techniques demonstrates a new level of threat sophistication that we are seeing in today’s cyber landscape. UNC5174 takes a broader approach that underscores the need for comprehensive security standards. Users and organizations alike need to be on their guard to keep themselves safe from attacks.
Recommendations for Users
To reduce the danger posed by CVE-2025-24054, users should follow a number of precautionary steps. First and most importantly, installation of the latest security patches made available by Microsoft should be table stakes. Keeping patches updated is one of the most effective and easiest ways to minimize vulnerabilities in any system.
Beyond these tips, it’s highly recommended that users set up multi-factor authentication wherever it is available. This additional layer of security provides an additional barrier to protect against unauthorized access. Consistently tracking activity within your account can further prevent an account takeover by recognizing suspicious activity sooner.
