CVE-2025-26678
Published: 08 April 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-26678 is a high-severity Improper Access Control (CWE-284) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1809. Its CVSS base score is 8.4 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 21.9% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-26678 is an improper access control vulnerability in Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) that permits bypass of a security feature through local attack vectors. The flaw is tracked under CWE-284 and carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.4 reflecting local access, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
An unauthorized attacker with local access can exploit the weakness to circumvent WDAC restrictions, thereby gaining the ability to execute code or perform actions that the application control policy would normally block.
The sole reference points to the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-26678, which is the authoritative source for patch availability and recommended mitigation steps.
EPSS remains low at 0.0106 with no recorded increase from its peak value, indicating limited observed exploitation interest to date.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-10214
Vulnerability details
Improper access control in Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature locally.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
The access control policy and procedures directly mandate and enforce proper access control mechanisms across the organization.
Device lock enforces restricted access until re-authentication, directly reducing unauthorized use of active sessions.
Supervision and review of access control activities directly detects and remediates improper access configurations or usages.
Explicitly identifying and documenting actions permitted without identification or authentication enforces proper access control boundaries by defining justified exceptions.
By automatically labeling outputs with security attributes, the control supports attribute-based enforcement and reduces exploitability of improper access control weaknesses.
Associating and retaining security attributes with data directly supports enforcement of access control decisions across storage, processing, and transmission.
Requiring prior authorization for each remote access type prevents improper access control over remote connections.
Requiring authorization of wireless access before allowing connections enforces proper access control for this access method.