CVE-2025-48814
Published: 08 July 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-48814 is a high-severity Missing Authentication for Critical Function (CWE-306) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1607. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 12.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
The vulnerability CVE-2025-48814 stems from missing authentication for a critical function, classified under CWE-306, in the Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service. This component handles licensing operations for Remote Desktop environments and is exposed to network-based attacks, reflected in its CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5 with an attack vector of AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit the flaw remotely to bypass a security feature, achieving unauthorized access to sensitive information with high confidentiality impact but no direct effects on integrity or availability. Exploitation requires no privileges or user interaction, making the service reachable over the network the primary attack surface.
Microsoft's advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-48814 provides official details on the issue. The associated EPSS score has remained flat at a peak and current value of 0.0318, indicating no material rise in observed exploitation interest since disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-20593
Vulnerability details
Missing authentication for critical function in Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network.
- 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.
Requires established identification and authentication to unlock, mitigating missing authentication for continued system access.
Requiring identification and rationale for actions allowed without authentication ensures critical functions are not left unprotected by forcing review of authentication requirements.
Authorizing mobile device connections to organizational systems ensures authentication is performed for this critical access function.
Guarantees critical functions are protected by mandatory invocation of the access control mechanism.
Auditing sessions makes it possible to detect access to critical functions without required authentication.
The assessment process confirms authentication is present and effective for critical functions, preventing exploitation from missing authentication.
Certification assesses that critical functions have required authentication controls in place.
Disabling non-essential functions and services eliminates the need to secure them, reducing exposure from missing authentication on unnecessary components.