Detect Microsoft Windows Link Following Vulnerability (CVE-2025-60710) in IBM QRadar
CVE-2025-60710 is an actively exploited Microsoft Windows link following vulnerability (CWE-59) that allows an attacker to abuse symbolic links or junction points to redirect file operations to unintended locations. This class of vulnerability is commonly leveraged for privilege escalation, file tampering, or unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability is listed on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, indicating confirmed in-the-wild exploitation.
MITRE ATT&CK
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT
DATEFORMAT(starttime, 'YYYY-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') AS event_time,
sourceip,
username,
QIDNAME(qid) AS event_name,
"Process CommandLine" AS cmdline,
"File Path" AS file_path,
logsourcename(logsourceid) AS log_source
FROM events
WHERE LOGSOURCETYPENAME(logsourceid) IN ('Microsoft Windows Security Event Log', 'Sysmon')
AND (LOWER("Process CommandLine") ILIKE '%mklink%'
OR LOWER("Process CommandLine") ILIKE '%junction%'
OR LOWER("Process CommandLine") ILIKE '%createsymboliclink%')
AND LOWER(username) NOT IN ('system', 'nt authority\\system', 'local service', 'network service')
AND (LOWER("File Path") ILIKE '%\\temp\\%'
OR LOWER("File Path") ILIKE '%appdata%local%temp%'
OR LOWER("File Path") ILIKE '%.lnk')
LAST 24 HOURS
ORDER BY starttime DESCQRadar AQL query for detecting CVE-2025-60710 link following activity by searching Windows Security and Sysmon logs for symbolic link creation commands in temporary directories by non-privileged accounts.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Package management tools executed by service accounts not in the exclusion list
- Automated deployment frameworks creating symlinks during artifact staging
- Security tooling performing file system traversal tests
Other platforms for CVE-2025-60710
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Create Symbolic Link in Temp Directory Targeting Privileged Path
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1 capturing mklink.exe execution with command line containing the symlink and target paths; Sysmon Event ID 11 showing creation of test_link.txt in C:\Windows\Temp\.
- Test 2Junction Point Creation Targeting System32
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1 with mklink /J command line and junction target; Windows Security Event ID 4663 on subsequent directory traversal through the junction.
- Test 3PowerShell Symbolic Link Creation via .NET API
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1 showing powershell.exe with CreateSymbolicLink in command line; Sysmon Event ID 11 or 12 for the created link object in Temp directory.
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