CVE-2025-21194

UEFI bypass leading to secure kernel compromise

Published Feb 11, 2025 · Updated Feb 13, 2026

Improper input validation in Microsoft Surface firmware allows adjacent attackers to bypass UEFI protections after user interaction. Microsoft has not disclosed which hypervisor or firmware input is insufficiently validated or how that input crosses the UEFI boundary. Exploitation requires specific hardware conditions and a user-initiated reboot, after which the hypervisor and secure kernel can be compromised.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.85%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Microsoft Surface firmware allows adjacent attackers to bypass UEFI protections after user interaction. Microsoft has not disclosed which hypervisor or firmware input is insufficiently validated or how that input crosses the UEFI boundary. Exploitation requires specific hardware conditions and a user-initiated reboot, after which the hypervisor and secure kernel can be compromised.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-21194
Published
Feb 11, 2025
Updated
Feb 13, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
Classifications
CWE-20
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 11, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=-

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Laptop Goversion=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3version=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Windows Dev Kit 2023version=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Goversion=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Pro 8version=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Hubversion=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Proversion=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Laptop 3version=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Pro 9version=-
Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Laptop 4version=-

Published CVSS scores

7.1Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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