CVE-2025-48822 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809, specifically affecting build 10.0.17763.0. The vulnerability is categorized as an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) within the Windows Hyper-V component. Hyper-V is Microsoft's native hypervisor technology that enables virtualization on Windows systems. An out-of-bounds read occurs when a program reads data outside the boundaries of allocated memory, which can lead to information disclosure, memory corruption, or enable further exploitation such as arbitrary code execution. In this case, the vulnerability allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally on the affected system. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.6 reflects a high severity, with the vector indicating that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating that successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise. Although no known exploits are currently observed in the wild, the vulnerability's characteristics suggest that it could be leveraged by attackers to gain elevated privileges or execute arbitrary code on systems running the affected Windows 10 version. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation. Since Hyper-V is often used in enterprise environments for virtualization and cloud infrastructure, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to organizations relying on Windows 10 Version 1809 for virtualization workloads.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-48822 can be substantial, especially for those utilizing Windows 10 Version 1809 in virtualized environments. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, move laterally within networks, or disrupt critical services. This could compromise sensitive data confidentiality, integrity, and availability, affecting sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure. Organizations using Hyper-V for hosting virtual machines or running containerized workloads are particularly at risk. Given that Windows 10 Version 1809 is an older release, some organizations may still be operating legacy systems due to compatibility or operational constraints, increasing their exposure. The requirement for local access and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation; however, insider threats or social engineering attacks could facilitate exploitation. The changed scope and high impact on all security properties mean that a successful attack could have widespread consequences, including data breaches, service outages, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR and other European data protection laws.

1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting local access to systems running Windows 10 Version 1809 with Hyper-V enabled, limiting user privileges, and enforcing strict access controls to reduce the risk of unauthorized local exploitation. 2. Organizations should prioritize upgrading affected systems to a supported and patched Windows version, as Windows 10 Version 1809 is an older release and may no longer receive security updates. 3. Implement application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block suspicious activities indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Conduct user awareness training to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that could trigger the required user interaction for exploitation. 5. Isolate Hyper-V hosts and virtual machines in segmented network zones to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 6. Regularly audit and monitor Hyper-V configurations and logs for anomalies. 7. Since no official patches are currently available, consider applying any vendor-provided workarounds or temporary mitigations recommended by Microsoft once released. 8. Maintain an incident response plan tailored to virtualization infrastructure to quickly contain and remediate any exploitation attempts.