CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-7771NVD status: Deferred

ThrottleStop: Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-7771 is a high-severity exposed IOCTL with insufficient access control vulnerability in ThrottleStop from TechPowerUp, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.7 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. Affected ThrottleStop versions: 3.0.0.0 and possibly others. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 6.78% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 5.91% of all scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of ThrottleStop you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
TechPowerUpThrottleStop3.0.0.0 and possibly othersNot stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
Attack requirements
NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
Privileges required
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
Integrity (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
Availability (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
Confidentiality (other systems)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Integrity (other systems)
HighSerious loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Availability (other systems)
HighSerious loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (kaspersky.com).

Official description

ThrottleStop.sys, a legitimate driver, exposes two IOCTL interfaces that allow arbitrary read and write access to physical memory via the MmMapIoSpace function. This insecure implementation can be exploited by a malicious user-mode application to patch the running Windows kernel and invoke arbitrary kernel functions with ring-0 privileges. The vulnerability enables local attackers to execute arbitrary code in kernel context, resulting in privilege escalation and potential follow-on attacks, such as disabling security software or bypassing kernel-level protections. ThrottleStop.sys version 3.0.0.0 and possibly others are affected. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control

The product implements an IOCTL with functionality that should be restricted, but it does not properly enforce access control for the IOCTL.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • In Windows environments, use proper access control for the associated device or device namespace. See References.

More Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control vulnerabilities (CWE-782)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control vulnerabilities

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