Microsoft just patched a serious flaw in Active Directory, the system that controls who can access what on your company's network. If you're running Windows-based infrastructure (and statistically, you probably are), Active Directory is the backbone of your authentication and access control. It determines which employees can log in, what files they can access, and what systems they can reach.
The vulnerability (CVE-2025-29810) allows an attacker who already has basic network access to escalate their privileges to full system control. Think of it this way: someone with the keys to the supply closet can now get the keys to every room in the building, including the executive suite and the vault.
This was part of the April 2025 Patch Tuesday release. CVSS score: 7.5. Classification: Important.
Here's the uncomfortable question: Has this patch been applied to your domain controllers?
If you're relying on an internal IT team, do they have a documented patching policy? Do they track which patches have been applied and when? Is there a testing protocol before deployment, or are they applying patches blind and hoping nothing breaks?
If you're relying on an MSP, the questions are even more pointed:
- Did they notify you about this vulnerability?
- Did they explain the risk in terms you could understand?
- Did they confirm when the patch was applied?
- Can they prove it?
Most MSPs operate on the assumption that silence equals satisfaction. They patch things (maybe), they don't tell you (definitely), and they assume you won't ask (usually correct). But silence is not a security posture. It's a liability.
The reality is that most small and mid-sized businesses do not have formal IT governance. No patching policy. No change management process. No audit trail showing what was done, when, and by whom. When something goes wrong, there's no documentation to review, no process to improve, and no accountability to assign.
This is not about this specific vulnerability. It's about the pattern.
Microsoft releases critical patches every month. Sometimes every week. Each one represents a known flaw that attackers can exploit. The question is whether your organization has a system for identifying, prioritizing, testing, and deploying these patches in a timely manner.
If you don't know the answer, you don't have a system.
Here's what basic IT governance looks like for patch management:
- Inventory. You cannot patch what you don't know exists. Every server, every workstation, every network device should be documented.
- Classification. Not all patches are equal. Critical vulnerabilities affecting domain controllers require faster response than minor fixes for desktop applications.
- Testing. Patches can break things. A controlled test environment (or at minimum, a staged rollout) prevents a fix from becoming a new problem.
- Deployment. Patches should be deployed within a defined timeframe based on severity. Critical patches to exposed systems within 48-72 hours. Others on a regular monthly cycle.
- Verification. After deployment, confirm the patch took. Check logs. Run scans. Trust but verify.
- Documentation. Record what was patched, when, and by whom. This creates accountability and provides evidence for compliance and incident response.
If your IT team or MSP cannot explain their process for each of these steps, you have a governance gap. That gap is risk.
Microsoft says active exploitation is currently "unlikely" due to high attack complexity. That's not the same as "impossible." It's not even the same as "unlikely next month." It means exploiting this flaw requires skill and preparation. Sophisticated attackers have both.
Attackers read the same patch notes your IT team does. Every patch release is a roadmap of vulnerabilities. The window between patch release and patch deployment is when your organization is most exposed.
So, how wide is your window?
If you don't know, find out. Ask your IT staff. Ask your MSP. Demand documentation. If they can't provide it, that tells you everything you need to know about your current level of protection.
IT governance is not bureaucracy. It's the difference between managing risk and hoping you don't become unlucky.
Raphael Savastano is the founder and principal consultant of ROFONIC LLC. With 25+ years in IT, 16 years in leadership, including 8 years as CIO scaling technology for a global manufacturer from M to 0M. He now helps growing companies get executive-level technology and operations leadership without the full-time cost. Want to know where your technology actually stands? Take the Founder's IT Reality Check →
