CVE-2025-20109

Local privilege escalation via stream-cache isolation failure

Published Aug 12, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Improper isolation in the stream cache of affected Intel processors allows local users to escalate privileges through local access. Intel has not disclosed the operation by which the stream cache fails to keep security compartments separate or permits a privilege-boundary crossing. Exploitation requires existing local access, low privileges, high attack complexity, and additional attack conditions; success grants higher privileges over the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper isolation in the stream cache of affected Intel processors allows local users to escalate privileges through local access. Intel has not disclosed the operation by which the stream cache fails to keep security compartments separate or permits a privilege-boundary crossing. Exploitation requires existing local access, low privileges, high attack complexity, and additional attack conditions; success grants higher privileges over the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-20109
Published
Aug 12, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-653, T1068
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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.3Intel CorporationCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
7.8Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-653Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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