Detect CVE-2025-62215 Microsoft Windows Race Condition Exploitation in Microsoft Sentinel
Detects exploitation attempts of CVE-2025-62215, a race condition vulnerability (CWE-362) in Microsoft Windows. This KEV-listed vulnerability can be abused by attackers to gain elevated privileges or execute arbitrary code by winning a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition. Detection focuses on suspicious process creation patterns, handle manipulation, and abnormal thread timing indicative of race condition exploitation.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Privilege Escalation Execution
KQL Detection Query
let timeWindow = 5m;
SecurityEvent
| where TimeGenerated > ago(24h)
| where EventID in (4688, 4689, 4656, 4663, 4670)
| where ProcessName has_any ("svchost.exe", "lsass.exe", "winlogon.exe", "services.exe")
or (EventID == 4688 and ParentProcessName has_any ("svchost.exe", "services.exe") and NewProcessName !has_any ("conhost.exe", "WerFault.exe"))
| join kind=inner (
SecurityEvent
| where TimeGenerated > ago(24h)
| where EventID == 4672
| project AccountName, Computer, PrivilegeList, TimeGenerated
) on AccountName, Computer
| where PrivilegeList has_any ("SeDebugPrivilege", "SeTcbPrivilege", "SeCreateTokenPrivilege")
| summarize EventCount = count(), FirstSeen = min(TimeGenerated), LastSeen = max(TimeGenerated), UniqueEventIDs = make_set(EventID) by AccountName, Computer, ProcessName
| where EventCount > 3
| extend TimeDeltaSeconds = datetime_diff('second', LastSeen, FirstSeen)
| where TimeDeltaSeconds < 30
| extend RiskScore = case(EventCount > 10, "High", EventCount > 5, "Medium", "Low")
| project-reorder FirstSeen, LastSeen, Computer, AccountName, ProcessName, EventCount, TimeDeltaSeconds, RiskScore, UniqueEventIDsDetects rapid sequences of object access, privilege assignment, and process creation events on sensitive Windows processes within a short time window — characteristic of race condition exploitation attempts targeting CVE-2025-62215.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate system administration tools performing rapid handle operations on system processes
- Security scanners or EDR agents that enumerate process handles at high frequency
- Software installers or update mechanisms that require elevated privileges and spawn multiple child processes
- Windows Defender or antivirus products performing deep process inspection
Other platforms for CVE-2025-62215
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 1Simulate Rapid Handle Acquisition on System Process
Expected signal: Windows Security Event Log entries for EventID 4656 (A handle to an object was requested) and 4658 (The handle to an object was closed) appearing in rapid succession for the svchost process, triggering the burst detection threshold.
- Test 2Privilege Escalation Sequence Simulation
Expected signal: EventID 4688 (process creation) followed by EventID 4672 (special privileges assigned to new logon) within seconds, generating the correlated alert pattern.
- Test 3CreateRemoteThread into System Process (Lab Only)
Expected signal: CrowdStrike CreateRemoteThreadV2 event and Windows EventID 4656 for the target process handle, followed by potential Microsoft Defender ATP alert for suspicious cross-process thread creation.
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