cbcvebase.
CVE-2025-26647
published 2025-04-08

CVE-2025-26647: Improper input validation in Windows Kerberos allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.

PriorityP258high8.8CVSS 3.1
AVNACLPRLUINSUCHIHAH
EPSS
2.08%
79.5th percentile
Improper input validation in Windows Kerberos allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.

Affected

25 ranges
VendorProductVersion rangeFixed in
microsoftwindows_server_2008
microsoftwindows_server_2008_r2_service_pack_1>= 6.1.7601.0 < 6.1.7601.276706.1.7601.27670
microsoftwindows_server_2008_service_pack_2>= 6.0.6003.0 < 6.0.6003.232206.0.6003.23220
microsoftwindows_server_2012
microsoftwindows_server_2012>= 6.2.9200.0 < 6.2.9200.254236.2.9200.25423
microsoftwindows_server_2012_r2>= 6.3.9600.0 < 6.3.9600.225236.3.9600.22523
microsoftwindows_server_2016< 10.0.14393.796910.0.14393.7969
microsoftwindows_server_2016>= 10.0.14393.0 < 10.0.14393.796910.0.14393.7969
microsoftwindows_server_2019< 10.0.17763.713610.0.17763.7136
microsoftwindows_server_2019>= 10.0.17763.0 < 10.0.17763.713610.0.17763.7136
microsoftwindows_server_2022< 10.0.20348.345310.0.20348.3453
microsoftwindows_server_2022>= 10.0.20348.0 < 10.0.20348.345310.0.20348.3453
microsoftwindows_server_2022_23h2< 10.0.25398.155110.0.25398.1551
microsoftwindows_server_2025< 10.0.26100.377510.0.26100.3775
microsoftwindows_server_2025>= 10.0.26100.0 < 10.0.26100.377510.0.26100.3775
msrcwindows_server_2008_for_32-bit_systems_service_pack_2
msrcwindows_server_2008_for_x64-based_systems_service_pack_2
msrcwindows_server_2008_r2_for_x64-based_systems_service_pack_1
msrcwindows_server_2012
msrcwindows_server_2012_r2
msrcwindows_server_2016
msrcwindows_server_2019
msrcwindows_server_2022
msrcwindows_server_2022_23h2_edition
msrcwindows_server_2025

Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote

registryHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Kdc\AllowNtAuthPolicyBypass
  • Monitor for Kerberos TGT requests using certificates whose Subject Key Identifier (SKI) matches a target user but was issued by a CA not in the NTAuth store — this is the core exploit primitive for CVE-2025-26647.
  • Enable and monitor Kerberos audit events in Audit mode on domain controllers to identify devices presenting certificates from CAs not in the NTAuth store — Microsoft explicitly recommends this as a detection step.
  • Alert on privilege escalation attempts via Kerberos PKINIT or Certificate-based S4U delegation (RBKCD/KCD) flows where the certificate SKI maps to a high-privilege target account — these are the affected auth protocols.
  • On patched DCs, monitor the AllowNtAuthPolicyBypass registry key under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Kdc for unauthorized changes to value '2', which would re-expose the vulnerability.
  • Attacker privilege escalation outcome is KDC granting elevated rights beyond what the certificate should authorize — look for Kerberos tickets issued with unexpected privilege levels relative to the certificate's intended scope.
  • ·The AllowNtAuthPolicyBypass registry key value of '2' (enforcement mode) is the security-hardened setting introduced by the CVE-2025-26647 patch; setting it to '1' is a temporary workaround that reduces protection. Environments should move to value '2' once all DCs are updated and non-NTAuth CAs are no longer in use.
  • ·The vulnerability specifically affects Windows Hello for Business (WHfB) Key Trust environments and Device Public Key Authentication (Machine PKINIT) deployments — these environments are at highest risk and should be prioritized for patching.
  • ·Enforcement mode (AllowNtAuthPolicyBypass=2) should only be enabled once the environment is no longer using certificates issued by CAs not present in the NTAuth store, per Microsoft's remediation guidance.

CVSS provenance

nvdv3.18.8HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vendor_msrc8.8HIGH
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