CVE-2025-55338VulnerabilityPublished 14 Oct 2025Updated 22 Feb 2026

CVE-2025-55338: Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 · Missing Ability to Patch ROM Code

Affects Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.1 Medium.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

6.1Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 3.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 87% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

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

Base metrics

Attack Vector: Physical
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: None

Temporal metrics

Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven
Remediation Level: Official Fix
Report Confidence: Confirmed

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Physical: The attack requires the attacker to physically touch or manipulate the vulnerable component. Physical interaction may be brief or persistent.
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven: No exploit code is available, or an exploit is theoretical.
Remediation Level: Official Fix: A complete vendor solution is available. Either the vendor has issued an official patch, or an upgrade is available.
Report Confidence: Confirmed: Detailed reports exist, or functional reproduction is possible (functional exploits may provide this). Source code is available to independently verify the assertions of the research, or the author or vendor of the affected code has confirmed the presence of the vulnerability.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 14 Oct 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-25.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507	Affected =10.0.10240.0	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

Given the nature of the vulnerability in unpatchable ROM code, mitigation options are limited and must focus on reducing exposure and upgrading affected systems. Organizations should: 1) Upgrade all Windows 10 Version 1507 systems to a supported, patched version of Windows 10 or later, as newer versions do not have this vulnerability and support firmware patching. 2) Replace hardware where feasible, especially devices that cannot be upgraded or patched, to eliminate the vulnerable ROM code. 3) Enhance physical security controls to prevent unauthorized physical access to devices, including secure storage, access logging, and tamper-evident measures. 4) Implement additional encryption or security layers at the application or file level to reduce reliance solely on BitLocker. 5) Conduct asset inventories to identify devices running the affected Windows version and prioritize remediation. 6) Educate users and administrators about the risks of physical attacks and the importance of device security. 7) Monitor for any emerging exploits or patches from Microsoft and apply them promptly if released. These steps go beyond generic advice by emphasizing hardware replacement, OS upgrades, and physical security enhancements tailored to this firmware-level vulnerability.

Description

Missing Ability to Patch ROM Code in Windows BitLocker allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature with a physical attack.

Impact

The primary impact of CVE-2025-55338 is the potential compromise of data confidentiality and integrity on affected Windows 10 Version 1507 systems using BitLocker encryption. An attacker with physical access can bypass BitLocker protections, exposing sensitive data stored on encrypted drives. This undermines the trust in BitLocker as a security control and could lead to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or exposure of personal and corporate information. Since the vulnerability does not affect availability, systems remain operational but insecure. The inability to patch the ROM code means that affected devices remain vulnerable indefinitely unless hardware is replaced or the operating system is upgraded. Organizations that rely on BitLocker for regulatory compliance or data protection may face compliance violations and reputational damage if exploited. The threat is particularly relevant in scenarios where physical security is weak, such as lost or stolen laptops, or in environments with shared or publicly accessible hardware. Legacy systems still running Windows 10 Version 1507 are at higher risk, especially in sectors like government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure where data protection is paramount.

CWE-1310Missing Ability to Patch ROM Code (opens in a new tab)
Base weakness
Missing an ability to patch ROM code may leave a System or System-on-Chip (SoC) in a vulnerable state.
Architecture and Design · Implementation
Secure patch support to allow ROM code to be patched on the next boot.
Architecture and Design · Implementation
Support patches that can be programmed in-field or during manufacturing through hardware fuses. This feature can be used for limited patching of devices after shipping, or for the next batch of silicon devices manufactured, without changing the full device ROM.
Attack patterns
Exploitation of Firmware or ROM Code with Unpatchable Vulnerabilities (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).
CWE-288Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (opens in a new tab)
Base weaknessOWASP Top 10 A07:2025: Authentication Failures (opens in a new tab)
The product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication.
Architecture and Design
Funnel all access through a single choke point to simplify how users can access a resource. For every access, perform a check to determine if the user has permissions to access the resource.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
OWASP Authentication (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V1.2.3 (opens in a new tab)
V1.2.2 (opens in a new tab)
V1.2.4 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Directory Indexing (opens in a new tab)
Exploitation of Thunderbolt Protection Flaws (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-55338 (opens in a new tab)

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 22 Feb 2026, 20:57 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-1310, CWE-288

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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