CVE-2025-20090
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an untrusted pointer dereference vulnerability in Intel QuickAssist Technology software that could allow an authenticated user with local access to cause a denial of service. The vulnerability affects systems running Intel QAT software versions before 2.5.0. Attackers would need authenticated local access to exploit this issue.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT) software
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system crash or service disruption of Intel QAT functionality, potentially affecting dependent applications and services.
Likely Case
Local denial of service affecting Intel QAT acceleration services, causing performance degradation for cryptographic operations and compression tasks.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper access controls limiting local user privileges and network segmentation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated local access and knowledge of the vulnerability. No public exploit code is known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.5.0 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01301.html
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Download Intel QAT software version 2.5.0 or later from Intel's website. 2. Follow Intel's installation guide for your operating system. 3. Verify the update completed successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Local User Access
allLimit local user privileges and access to systems running Intel QAT software to reduce attack surface.
Disable QAT if Not Required
linuxTemporarily disable Intel QAT acceleration if not critical for operations until patching can be completed.
sudo systemctl stop qat_service
sudo modprobe -r qat_driver
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges on affected systems.
- Monitor systems for unusual process behavior or service disruptions related to Intel QAT.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Intel QAT software version using 'qat_service -v' or similar command, or check installed packages for versions before 2.5.0.Check Version:
qat_service -v # Linux, or check installed package versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Intel QAT software version is 2.5.0 or later using version check commands and ensure services are running normally.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected QAT service crashes or restarts
- Access denied errors from unauthorized users attempting QAT operations
- System logs showing pointer-related errors in QAT modules
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local access vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="system_logs" AND ("qat" OR "QuickAssist") AND ("crash" OR "segfault" OR "denial")