CVE-2025-20048

Local privilege escalation via uncontrolled search path

Published Aug 12, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Uncontrolled search path handling in Intel Trace Analyzer and Collector all versions allows local users to escalate privileges via local access. Intel identifies an uncontrolled search path but has not disclosed the affected executable, library, path element, or unsafe lookup operation. Exploitation requires low privileges, high attack complexity, and active user interaction; successful execution grants elevated code execution.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path handling in Intel Trace Analyzer and Collector all versions allows local users to escalate privileges via local access. Intel identifies an uncontrolled search path but has not disclosed the affected executable, library, path element, or unsafe lookup operation. Exploitation requires low privileges, high attack complexity, and active user interaction; successful execution grants elevated code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-20048
Published
Aug 12, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
Product
Intel Trace Analyzer and Collector
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.008
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 12, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=See references

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. · Intel Trace Analyzer and Collectorversion=See references

Published CVSS scores

6.7Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.4Intel CorporationCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.008Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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