Introduction
Privilege escalation in a kernel driver can undermine every OS-level security boundary. CVE-2025-20093 affects Linux systems running Intel 800 Series Ethernet controllers, which are widely deployed in enterprise data centers and cloud infrastructure. A flaw in how the kernel-mode driver handles exceptional conditions lets an authenticated local user gain elevated privileges.
Intel dominates global networking hardware. Its Ethernet controllers run in millions of servers and workstations worldwide, so a flaw in its drivers matters to the security of large organizations.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-20093 is an improper check for unusual or exceptional conditions (CWE-754) in the Linux kernel-mode driver for Intel 800 Series Ethernet controllers. The flaw exists in driver versions before 1.17.2. When the driver hits certain system states or errors, it does not validate or handle them correctly. Because the driver runs in kernel space, an authenticated local user can exploit this to manipulate driver state or memory and escalate privileges.
Intel documents the vulnerability in Intel Security Advisory INTEL-SA-01296. No public code snippets or proof of concept are available at the time of writing. The root cause is insufficient validation logic in the driver's handling of exceptional or error conditions, which can send execution down unintended code paths or corrupt state.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Intel 800 Series Ethernet Linux kernel-mode driver
- All versions before 1.17.2 are affected
- Only Linux systems using these drivers are affected
Vendor Security History
Intel has fixed similar privilege escalation and input validation vulnerabilities in its Ethernet driver stack before:
- INTEL-SA-00918: Multiple high and critical severity vulnerabilities in Intel 800 Series Ethernet drivers, including improper input validation and protection mechanism failures.
- INTEL-SA-01144: Escalation of privilege and denial of service vulnerabilities in Intel Ethernet Adapter Complete Driver Pack.
Intel typically coordinates disclosure and ships patches promptly. Its vulnerability management process is mature.
