Microsoft’s November Patch Tuesday release for 2025 has delivered fixes for 63 security flaws across its software portfolio, including one zero-day vulnerability already being exploited in the wild. The company’s monthly update also contains four “Critical” vulnerabilities, two involving remote code execution (RCE), one linked to privilege escalation, and another tied to information disclosure.
This month’s update addresses vulnerabilities across a wide range of Microsoft products and services. Although the number of vulnerabilities is lower compared to recent months, the presence of an active zero-day makes November’s cycle critical for administrators. Microsoft noted that some of the “Important” rated flaws could still be leveraged in complex attack chains, particularly those affecting widely deployed components like Office, Windows Kernel, and Azure services.
Actively Exploited Zero-Day: CVE-2025-62215
The most urgent issue this month is CVE-2025-62215, an Elevation of Privilege vulnerability in the Windows Kernel. According to Microsoft, the flaw arises from a race condition that allows an authenticated attacker to gain SYSTEM-level privileges on affected systems.
In Microsoft’s technical explanation, “concurrent execution using a shared resource with improper synchronization” could let an attacker win a race condition and escalate privileges locally. This vulnerability was discovered by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) and the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC). While the company has confirmed that it is being exploited in the wild, it has not provided details about the attack methods or affected threat actors.
The vulnerability notes a recurring challenge for Windows systems: race conditions within kernel operations can provide attackers with direct pathways to full administrative control if not properly mitigated. Patching this CVE should therefore be a top priority for enterprise and government environments.
Other High-Severity CVEs and Products Affected
Beyond the zero-day, four additional vulnerabilities have been classified as Critical. These include remote code execution vulnerabilities in components like Microsoft Office and Visual Studio, which could allow attackers to execute malicious code if users open specially crafted files or interact with compromised projects.
- CVE-2025-62199: A critical RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Office that can trigger upon viewing or opening a malicious document. This flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through the Outlook Preview Pane, requiring no additional user interaction.
- CVE-2025-60724: A heap-based buffer overflow in the Microsoft Graphics Component (GDI+) that could potentially allow remote code execution across multiple applications.
- CVE-2025-62214: A Visual Studio CoPilot Chat extension flaw enabling remote code execution through a complex multi-stage exploitation chain involving prompt injection and build triggering.
- CVE-2025-59499: An elevation of privilege issue in Microsoft SQL Server that enables attackers to execute arbitrary Transact-SQL commands with elevated permissions.
The November Patch Tuesday also covers vulnerabilities across a variety of Microsoft services, including Azure Monitor Agent, Windows DirectX, Windows OLE, Dynamics 365, OneDrive for Android, and several networking components such as WinSock and RRAS (Routing and Remote Access Service).
While five of these vulnerabilities are rated “Critical,” most are considered “Important,” reflecting Microsoft’s evaluation of exploitation complexity and impact. Nonetheless, even lower-rated CVEs can pose severe threats when combined with social engineering or used in chained attacks.
Windows 11 Updates and Lifecycle Changes
Alongside security fixes, the November 2025 Windows 11 Patch Tuesday (build 26200.7121, update KB5068861) introduces new features and UI enhancements. These include a redesigned Start menu that allows more app pinning, a customizable “All Apps” view, and visual changes to the Taskbar’s battery icon, which can now display color indicators and percentage values.
The update also resolves several performance and stability issues, such as Task Manager continuing to run in the background after closure, and connectivity problems in certain gaming handheld devices. Storage reliability, HTTP request parsing, and voice access setup have also been improved.
Additionally, this update coincides with the end of support for Windows 11 Home and Pro version 23H2, making a small but notable shift in Microsoft’s lifecycle policy. Users running older CPUs that lack support for the new instruction sets required by Windows 11 24H2 may need to consider hardware upgrades or extended support programs.
The Importance of Prompt Patching
November’s updates, though fewer in number, address several vulnerabilities with serious potential consequences if left unpatched. Administrators are urged to prioritize systems exposed to the internet or running affected components, especially those related to the Windows Kernel, Microsoft Office, and Visual Studio.
With one confirmed exploited zero-day and multiple critical RCE vulnerabilities, Microsoft Patch Tuesday for November 2025 serves as a reminder that timely patch deployment remains one of the most effective defenses against cyber threats. Organizations should also monitor system logs and intrusion detection systems for signs of exploitation and ensure that legacy or unsupported devices receive compensating controls.
The November Patch Tuesday highlights the nature of vulnerabilities that can harm even the most protected systems. With an actively exploited zero-day and several critical vulnerabilities addressed, timely patching remains essential for reducing cyber risk.
To strengthen defenses beyond standard patch cycles, organizations can leverage Cyble’s Vulnerability Management platform. Cyble continuously monitors emerging exploits and zero-day vulnerabilities, providing in-depth intelligence that helps teams prioritize patching by risk level and uncover issues not listed even in the most popular databases. Its insights into exploitation methods, dark web chatter, and mitigation options enable proactive threat prevention.
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