dbcve.org
Wi Fi Usb DriverApplication · Realtek

CVE-2025-8302

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2025-09-02
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1030.52.0325.2025 or later.
See remediation →
90/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
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 rtl81xx SDK Wi-Fi Driver rtwlanu Heap-based Buffer Overflow Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Realtek rtl81xx SDK Wi-Fi driver. 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-26553.

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 rtl81xx SDK Wi-Fi driver's N6CSet_DOT11_CIPHER_DEFAULT_KEY function allows local attackers to escalate privileges to SYSTEM by exploiting insufficient length validation of user-supplied data copied to a fixed-size heap buffer. Requires prior low-privileged code execution.

MitigationContact Realtek for driver patch; until available, restrict local code execution privileges and monitor for indicators of compromise targeting the Wi-Fi driver.

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
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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. Check Realtek Wi-Fi USB driver version in Device Manager
    Open Device Manager, expand 'Network adapters', locate the Realtek USB Wi-Fi adapter, right-click and select 'Properties', go to the 'Driver' tab, and note the driver version shown
    Affected if The displayed driver version is lower than 1030.52.0325.2025 (e.g., 1030.x.x.x with a lower build number, or any version starting with numbers below 1030)
  2. Query driver version via PowerShell
    Run 'Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object {$_.DeviceName -like "*Realtek*" -and $_.Description -like "*Wi-Fi*"} | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion, DriverDate' in PowerShell
    Affected if The DriverVersion returned is less than 1030.52.0325.2025 or the query returns no results but a Realtek Wi-Fi adapter is present in the system
  3. Verify vulnerable driver file is loaded
    Check for rtl81xx.sys or similar Realtek Wi-Fi driver files in system drivers directory and note their file version: run 'Get-ItemProperty "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\rtl81*.sys" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, VersionInfo'
    Affected if The driver file exists and its version is below 1030.52.0325.2025, or the file exists but version cannot be determined (older unversioned driver)
  4. Confirm Wi-Fi functionality is enabled
    Check if the Realtek Wi-Fi adapter is active and not disabled: run 'Get-NetAdapter | Where-Object {$_.InterfaceDescription -like "*Realtek*Wi-Fi*"} | Select-Object Name, Status, MacAddress'
    Affected if The adapter shows as 'Up' or 'Connected' and its driver version (from previous checks) is below 1030.52.0325.2025 - only then is the system actively using the vulnerable driver code

A system is affected if it has a Realtek Wi-Fi USB Driver installed with version lower than 1030.52.0325.2025 and the Wi-Fi adapter is actively in use (driver loaded), allowing potential privilege escalation from low-privileged code execution to SYSTEM.

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

Contact Realtek for driver patch; until available, restrict local code execution privileges and monitor for indicators of compromise targeting the Wi-Fi driver.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

1030.52.0325.2025

  1. Identify the Realtek rtl81xx Wi-Fi USB driver currently installed on the target system using Device Manager or by running 'driverquery' command
  2. Navigate to the Realtek website or the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) support page to obtain the updated driver version 1030.52.0325.2025 or later
  3. Download the driver package from the official Realtek or OEM source - avoid third-party driver download sites
  4. Extract the driver files if necessary and run the installer as an administrator, or update manually via Device Manager by right-clicking the network adapter, selecting 'Update driver', and pointing to the extracted files
  5. Restart the system after driver installation to ensure the new driver loads properly
  6. Verify the installed driver version matches 1030.52.0325.2025 or later using 'driverquery' or Device Manager details
Caveat Driver updates may occasionally cause compatibility issues with specific wireless access points or result in temporary loss of connectivity until the new driver stabilizes

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

Fix this in Wi Fi Usb Driver Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,970
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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-2025-8302 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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