CVE-2025-48799: Windows Update Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Overview

Severity

High (CVSS 7.8)

CVSS Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Category

Elevation of Privilege

Exploit Status

Not Exploited

Exploitation Likelihood

More Likely

Patch Tuesday

2025-Jul

Released

2025-07-08

EPSS Score

1.24% (percentile: 79.3%)

Description

Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Windows Update Service allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.

FAQ

What privileges could be gained by an attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability? An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could create, modify, or delete files in the security context of the "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" account.

Detection & Weaponization (1 sources)

Maturity: Exploit

• GitHub PoC: 3 repositories

Affected Products (18)

Windows

• Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation)
• Windows 11 Version 23H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 11 Version 24H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows Server 2025
• Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems

ESU

• Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems

Security Updates (5)

• 5062557
• 5062554
• 5062552
• 5062553
• 5062560

Acknowledgments

<a href="https://twitter.com/filip_dragovic">Filip Dragović</a>

Revision History

• 2025-07-08: Information published.