Link following in Microsoft Windows and Windows Server - CVE-2025-48799
Published: July 9, 2025 / Updated: September 24, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU112588
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4: 8.5 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2025-48799
CWE-ID: CWE-59
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
Public exploit is available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.
The vulnerability exists due to an insecure link following issue in Windows Update Service. A local user can create a specially crafted symbolic link to a critical file on the system and overwrite it with privileges of the application.
Affected software
Microsoft Windows
Windows Server
Windows Server
How to mitigate CVE-2025-48799
Install updates from vendor's website.
Microsoft Windows - addressed in versions 10 21H2 10.0.19044.6093, 10 22H2 10.0.19045.6093, 10 1607 10.0.14393.8246, 10 1809 10.0.17763.7558, 11 22H2 10.0.22621.5624, 11 23H2 10.0.22631.5624, 11 24H2 10.0.26100.4652
Windows Server - addressed in versions 2022 23H2 10.0.22621.5472, 2025 10.0.26100.4652
Windows Server - addressed in versions 2022 23H2 10.0.22621.5472, 2025 10.0.26100.4652
Links to Public Exploits and PoC-codes
- Exploit #11982 - CVE-2025-48799 (September 24, 2025)
- Exploit #11902 - CVE-2025-48799 (CVE-2025-48799 reveals a remote code execution flaw in Apache Tomcat 9.0.48 caused by an integer overflow in the HTTP header parser. The article explains how attackers can exploit the X-Forwarded header to inject shellcode.) (August 30, 2025)
- Exploit #11854 - CVE-2025-48799 (August 15, 2025)
- Exploit #11783 - CVE-2025-48799 (July 18, 2025)