CVE-2025-48816 is a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809 (build 10.0.17763.0). The vulnerability arises from an integer overflow or wraparound condition within the Human Interface Device (HID) class driver. Specifically, this flaw is classified under CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound), indicating that improper handling of integer values in the driver code can lead to unexpected behavior. An authorized attacker with local access can exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges on the affected system without requiring user interaction. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects the significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and low privileges required. The vulnerability does not require user interaction, and the scope remains unchanged, meaning the exploit affects only the vulnerable component without extending beyond the system boundary. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of this flaw in a core system driver that handles input devices makes it a critical target for attackers seeking to gain elevated privileges on compromised machines. The lack of available patches at the time of publication emphasizes the need for immediate attention and mitigation by affected users and organizations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk, especially in environments where Windows 10 Version 1809 remains in use, such as legacy systems or specialized industrial setups. Successful exploitation allows attackers with local access—potentially through compromised user accounts or malicious insiders—to gain elevated privileges, enabling them to install persistent malware, disable security controls, or access sensitive data. This can lead to broader network compromise, data breaches, and operational disruption. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, organizations handling critical infrastructure, financial data, or personal information under GDPR are particularly at risk. The vulnerability could also facilitate lateral movement within corporate networks, increasing the attack surface. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the ease of exploitation and severity suggest that threat actors may develop exploits rapidly once patches or mitigations are available.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on upgrading affected systems to a newer, supported Windows version or applying any forthcoming security patches from Microsoft as soon as they are released. 2. Implement strict local access controls and limit administrative privileges to reduce the risk of exploitation by unauthorized users. 3. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block suspicious activities related to privilege escalation attempts. 4. Conduct regular audits of user accounts and permissions to identify and remove unnecessary privileges. 5. Use virtualization or sandboxing for high-risk applications to isolate potential exploitation attempts. 6. Monitor system logs and security alerts for unusual HID driver behavior or privilege escalation indicators. 7. For organizations unable to upgrade immediately, consider disabling or restricting HID devices where feasible, especially on critical systems, to reduce the attack surface. 8. Educate users about the risks of local compromise and enforce strong authentication methods to prevent unauthorized physical or remote local access.