Local authentication bypass via adversarial NIR video
Published Apr 8, 2025 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
A facial-recognition weakness in Windows Hello on affected Windows builds allows local users to bypass authentication with a crafted NIR video. The face matcher accepts identity-preserved near-infrared video presented on a custom LCD as a live authorized face instead of rejecting the adversarial input. Physical access, a compatible infrared camera, victim facial imagery, and specialized display hardware are required; success grants access as the enrolled user.
Summary
What happened
A facial-recognition weakness in Windows Hello on affected Windows builds allows local users to bypass authentication with a crafted NIR video. The face matcher accepts identity-preserved near-infrared video presented on a custom LCD as a live authorized face instead of rejecting the adversarial input. Physical access, a compatible infrared camera, victim facial imagery, and specialized display hardware are required; success grants access as the enrolled user.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-26644
- Published
- Apr 8, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- CWE-1039
- Attack vector
- physical
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 8, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 10, 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.7136
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Red Bleed research artifactfunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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