CVE-2025-48816 Overview
CVE-2025-48816 is an integer overflow vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows Human Interface Device (HID) class driver. The flaw allows an authorized local attacker to elevate privileges on affected systems. Microsoft disclosed the vulnerability on July 8, 2025, and it affects a broad range of Windows client and server versions, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server releases from 2008 through 2025.
The issue is tracked under CWE-125 and requires local access with low privileges. Successful exploitation grants attackers SYSTEM-level access, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Critical Impact
An authenticated local attacker can trigger an integer overflow in the HID class driver to escalate privileges to SYSTEM on unpatched Windows systems.
Affected Products
- Microsoft Windows 10 (versions 1507, 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2)
- Microsoft Windows 11 (versions 22H2, 23H2, 24H2)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008, 2012, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2022 23H2, and 2025
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-08 - CVE-2025-48816 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-48816
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the Windows HID class driver, which mediates communication between the operating system and human interface devices such as keyboards, mice, and other input peripherals. An integer overflow or wraparound condition occurs when the driver processes attacker-controlled input sizes without proper bounds validation.
Because HID class drivers execute in kernel mode, a successful overflow can corrupt kernel memory structures. This allows an attacker with a local, authenticated foothold to escalate to SYSTEM privileges. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read, which frequently accompanies integer overflow flaws that miscalculate buffer boundaries.
Root Cause
The root cause is arithmetic that overflows a fixed-width integer when the HID driver computes a size, offset, or index from device or IOCTL input. The wrapped value bypasses length checks and causes the driver to read or write outside allocated buffers. The resulting memory corruption is leveraged to overwrite kernel objects or function pointers used during privileged operations.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local access and a valid low-privileged user account. No user interaction is needed. An attacker submits crafted input to the HID stack, either by loading a malicious component that interacts with the driver or by simulating a specially crafted HID device. Once the integer overflow triggers the out-of-bounds condition, the attacker manipulates kernel memory to gain code execution at ring 0.
No public proof-of-concept exploit or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported for CVE-2025-48816 at the time of writing. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
See the Microsoft Security Update Guide for CVE-2025-48816 for vendor-provided technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-48816
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected loading or crashing of HID class driver components such as hidclass.sys or hidparse.sys, particularly with bugcheck codes indicating kernel memory corruption.
- New processes running as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM spawned from user-context parents that previously operated under standard user privileges.
- Presence of unsigned or newly introduced binaries that interact with HID IOCTLs on user endpoints.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Windows Event Logs for kernel crashes referencing HID components and correlate with recent user logons on the affected host.
- Track process creation events (Event ID 4688 or Sysmon Event ID 1) for privilege transitions from standard user to SYSTEM without a legitimate elevation path.
- Baseline HID device enumeration events and flag anomalous virtual or emulated HID devices attaching to endpoints.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest endpoint kernel-mode telemetry, driver load events, and IOCTL activity into a centralized SIEM or data lake for correlation.
- Alert on repeated system crashes clustered on specific users or workstations, which may indicate exploit development or unstable payload delivery.
- Track patch compliance status for the affected Windows builds and prioritize systems where users routinely have interactive local access.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-48816
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Microsoft security update referenced in the MSRC advisory for CVE-2025-48816 to all affected Windows client and server systems.
- Prioritize patching on multi-user systems, jump hosts, RDP servers, and endpoints where non-administrative users have interactive access.
- Audit local account inventories and remove unnecessary standard-user accounts on servers and privileged workstations.
Patch Information
Microsoft addressed CVE-2025-48816 through security updates delivered via Windows Update and the Microsoft Update Catalog. Refer to the Microsoft Security Update Guide for the exact KB article numbers corresponding to each supported Windows version. Verify update installation using wmic qfe list or the Get-HotFix PowerShell cmdlet after deployment.
Workarounds
- No official workaround is documented by Microsoft; the security update is the supported remediation.
- Restrict interactive and remote logon rights to trusted administrators until patches are fully deployed.
- Enforce application allowlisting to prevent execution of unauthorized binaries that could interact with the vulnerable driver.
# Verify the security update is installed (run in PowerShell)
Get-HotFix | Sort-Object -Property InstalledOn -Descending | Select-Object -First 20
# Confirm HID driver file version on the endpoint
Get-Item C:\Windows\System32\drivers\hidclass.sys | Select-Object VersionInfo
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
