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Wi Fi Usb DriverApplication · Realtek

CVE-2025-8301

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2025-09-02
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1030.52.0325.2025 or later.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Realtek RTL8811AU rtwlanu.sys N6CSet_DOT11_CIPHER_DEFAULT_KEY Heap-based Buffer Overflow Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Realtek RTL8811AU drivers. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the N6CSet_DOT11_CIPHER_DEFAULT_KEY function. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-24786.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Heap-based buffer overflow in Realtek RTL8811AU driver (rtwlanu.sys) within the N6CSet_DOT11_CIPHER_DEFAULT_KEY function. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied data length before copying to a fixed-size heap buffer, enabling local privilege escalation from low-privileged code to SYSTEM context.

MitigationApply vendor-supplied driver updates or patches that address the buffer overflow in N6CSet_DOT11_CIPHER_DEFAULT_KEY. If updates are unavailable, consider disabling or removing the affected RTL8811AU driver if functionality is not required, or implement application-level controls to restrict execution of untrusted code on affected systems.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Wi Fi Usb DriverApplication
Affected:< 1030.52.0325.2025

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Locate the affected driver file
    Search for rtwlanu.sys on the system - typically found in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\ or C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\. Use 'dir /s /b rtwlanu.sys' from an elevated command prompt or PowerShell: Get-ChildItem -Path C:\ -Filter rtwlanu.sys -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Affected if The file exists on the system
  2. Get the driver file version
    Right-click the driver file, select Properties, then Details tab. Alternatively, use PowerShell: (Get-Item 'path\to\rtwlanu.sys').VersionInfo | Select-Object FileVersion, ProductVersion, or use 'driverquery /v /fo list' to list loaded drivers
    Affected if File version is present and less than 1030.52.0325.2025
  3. Check if the driver is currently loaded
    Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, look for any Realtek RTL8811AU device. Or use 'sc query rtwlanu' from command line, or PowerShell: Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object {$_.DeviceName -like '*RTL8811AU*'}
    Affected if The driver appears in device manager or is listed as a loaded service
  4. Confirm the specific driver is in use
    If a Realtek USB WiFi adapter is plugged in, check its driver details via Device Manager - right-click the adapter, select Properties, Driver tab, then Driver Details. Look for rtwlanu.sys listed
    Affected if rtwlanu.sys is listed as an active driver for a USB WiFi device

A system is affected if rtwlanu.sys is present and its file version is lower than 1030.52.0325.2025, particularly if the driver is loaded or in use by a connected RTL8811AU WiFi adapter.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 1030.52.0325.2025 or later
Fixed in 1030.52.0325.2025
Interim mitigation

Apply vendor-supplied driver updates or patches that address the buffer overflow in N6CSet_DOT11_CIPHER_DEFAULT_KEY. If updates are unavailable, consider disabling or removing the affected RTL8811AU driver if functionality is not required, or implement application-level controls to restrict execution of untrusted code on affected systems.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Realtek RTL8811AU WiFi USB Driver version 1030.52.0325.2025 or later

  1. 1. Identify the exact WiFi adapter model and confirm it uses the Realtek RTL8811AU chipset
  2. 2. Visit the hardware vendor's support website or Realtek's official driver download page to obtain the latest driver version
  3. 3. Download driver version 1030.52.0325.2025 or later for the RTL8811AU
  4. 4. Uninstall the current WiFi driver via Device Manager (Network Adapters > right-click the RTL8811AU device > Uninstall Device)
  5. 5. Install the downloaded updated driver
  6. 6. Restart the system to complete driver installation
  7. 7. Verify the installed driver version matches or exceeds 1030.52.0325.2025
Caveat Driver updates may require system restart; ensure compatibility with the specific hardware/vendor implementation

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Wi Fi Usb Driver Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
20.0 hours of engineering $3,480
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-8301 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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