CVE-2026-20898

Local privilege escalation via undisclosed firmware access control

Published Aug 11, 2026 · Updated Aug 11, 2026

Improper access control in Intel Alias Checking Trusted Module firmware allows local users to escalate privileges on affected Xeon systems. Intel has not disclosed the firmware routine, missing authorization check, or constrained operation that causes the flaw. Exploitation requires a privileged user operating through startup code or SMM, has high complexity, and compromises confidentiality and integrity without interrupting availability.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Intel Alias Checking Trusted Module firmware allows local users to escalate privileges on affected Xeon systems. Intel has not disclosed the firmware routine, missing authorization check, or constrained operation that causes the flaw. Exploitation requires a privileged user operating through startup code or SMM, has high complexity, and compromises confidentiality and integrity without interrupting availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-20898
Published
Aug 11, 2026
Updated
Aug 11, 2026
Vendor
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
Product
Intel Alias Checking Trusted Module
Classifications
CWE-284, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 11, 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 privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. · Intel Alias Checking Trusted Moduleversion=See references

Published CVSS scores

8.5Intel CorporationCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-284Improper Access Control
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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