CVE-2025-50173 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2025
Weak authentication in Windows Installer allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-50173 represents a critical weakness in the Windows Installer component that enables authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges locally on affected systems. This flaw exists within the authentication mechanisms of the Windows Installer service, which is responsible for managing the installation, modification, and removal of software applications on windows operating systems. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where the Windows Installer service runs with elevated privileges and where proper access controls are not adequately enforced during the installation process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of authentication tokens and access control checks within the Windows Installer subsystem. When an authenticated user attempts to perform installation operations, the system fails to properly verify that the user possesses the necessary privileges to execute certain administrative functions. This weakness allows an attacker who has already established a foothold on the system to manipulate the installation process and gain elevated privileges without requiring additional authentication mechanisms. The flaw is particularly concerning because it leverages existing legitimate user sessions and exploits trust relationships within the windows installer framework.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations as it allows attackers to bypass standard security controls and escalate their access level from standard user to administrator or system level privileges. The attack vector requires only local access and an authenticated session, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may have legitimate administrative access or where credential theft has occurred through other means. Once exploited, attackers can install malicious software, modify system files, create backdoors, and potentially establish persistent access to the compromised system. The vulnerability also enables lateral movement within networks as attackers can use elevated privileges to access additional systems and resources.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from microsoft, reviewing and hardening the windows installer service configuration, and implementing additional access controls through group policy settings. The vulnerability aligns with several common weakness enumerations including cwe-284 access control issues and cwe-798 hard-coded credentials, though it specifically manifests as an authentication weakness within the installer service. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the privilege escalation category in the attack technique framework, specifically targeting techniques that exploit service misconfigurations and authentication bypass mechanisms. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual installation activities and unauthorized privilege escalation attempts, particularly focusing on windows installer related events and service modifications that may indicate exploitation attempts.