CVE-2025-47982 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). The root cause is improper input validation in the Windows Storage Virtual Storage Provider (VSP) driver, which is a component responsible for managing virtual storage devices and related operations. This flaw allows an authorized local attacker—meaning the attacker must have some level of access to the system—to exploit the vulnerability to elevate their privileges. Specifically, the attacker can leverage malformed or unexpected inputs to the VSP driver to bypass security controls, resulting in full control over the affected system. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (all rated high), with low attack complexity and requiring only limited privileges but no user interaction. The vulnerability does not currently have known exploits in the wild, and no official patches or mitigation guidance have been published yet. However, given the critical nature of privilege escalation vulnerabilities, this issue poses a significant risk to affected systems. The CWE-20 classification (Improper Input Validation) indicates that the vulnerability arises from failure to properly validate inputs before processing, which can lead to unexpected behavior or security bypasses. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited locally to gain elevated privileges, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, access sensitive data, or disrupt system operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-47982 can be substantial, especially in environments where Windows 10 Version 1809 is still in use. Privilege escalation vulnerabilities enable attackers who have gained limited access—such as through phishing, insider threats, or other initial footholds—to escalate their privileges to SYSTEM or administrator level. This can lead to full system compromise, data breaches, disruption of critical services, and lateral movement within networks. Sectors with high reliance on legacy Windows 10 systems, including government agencies, healthcare, finance, and industrial control systems, are particularly at risk. The vulnerability could facilitate ransomware deployment, espionage, or sabotage, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical infrastructure. Since the vulnerability requires local access, the threat is heightened in environments with many users or where endpoint security is weak. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate it, as attackers may develop exploits rapidly after public disclosure. European organizations must be vigilant, especially those with compliance obligations under GDPR and other regulations, as exploitation could lead to significant legal and financial consequences.

Given the lack of an official patch at this time, European organizations should take proactive and specific steps to mitigate risk from CVE-2025-47982 beyond generic advice: 1) Identify and inventory all systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 17763.0) and prioritize them for remediation. 2) Implement strict local access controls and limit user privileges to the minimum necessary to reduce the pool of potential attackers who can exploit this vulnerability. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious activity related to privilege escalation attempts targeting the Windows Storage VSP driver. 4) Harden systems by disabling or restricting the use of virtual storage devices or related services if not required, to reduce the attack surface. 5) Enforce strong authentication and session management policies to prevent unauthorized local access. 6) Monitor security advisories from Microsoft closely and prepare for rapid deployment of patches once available. 7) Conduct targeted security awareness training for users with local access to critical systems to reduce risk of initial compromise. 8) Use virtualization or sandboxing to isolate critical workloads where feasible, limiting the impact of potential privilege escalation. These measures, combined with robust network segmentation and regular security audits, will help mitigate the risk until a patch is released.