CVE-2025-22836: Intel 800 Series Ethernet Privilege Escalation

CVE-2025-22836 Overview

CVE-2025-22836 is an integer overflow vulnerability [CWE-190] in the Linux kernel-mode driver for Intel 800 Series Ethernet adapters. The flaw affects driver versions prior to 1.17.2. An authenticated local user can trigger the overflow to potentially escalate privileges on the host system.

The vulnerability resides in kernel-mode code, so successful exploitation gives an attacker execution in ring 0. Intel published advisory SA-01296 describing the issue and providing a fixed driver release.

Critical Impact
A local authenticated user can trigger an integer overflow in the Intel 800 Series Ethernet Linux driver to escalate privileges, gaining kernel-level code execution and full control of the affected system.

Affected Products

Intel 800 Series Ethernet Linux kernel-mode driver versions before 1.17.2
Linux systems running Intel 800 Series Ethernet network adapters (E810 family)
Distributions shipping the affected in-tree or out-of-tree Intel Ethernet driver

Discovery Timeline

2025-08-12 - CVE-2025-22836 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-22836

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified as an integer overflow or wraparound [CWE-190] within the Linux kernel-mode driver for Intel 800 Series Ethernet controllers. Integer overflow conditions in kernel drivers commonly arise when arithmetic on user-influenced values exceeds the bounds of the integer type used to store the result.

When an overflow occurs during size or index calculations, subsequent memory operations can operate on incorrect bounds. This can lead to out-of-bounds memory access, undersized allocations followed by oversized writes, or corruption of adjacent kernel data structures. Because the flaw exists in kernel space, memory corruption translates directly into privilege escalation potential.

Root Cause

The root cause is unchecked or improperly validated arithmetic on values that flow into the Intel 800 Series Ethernet driver from privileged local interfaces such as ioctl, netlink, ethtool, or sysfs entry points. When these values exceed the representable range of the target integer type, the result wraps around to a small or negative value. Follow-on allocation and copy operations then use the wrapped value, producing an inconsistency between allocated size and data actually written.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access with authenticated user privileges on the target host. The attacker interacts with the vulnerable driver through a local interface exposed by the kernel, supplying crafted parameters that trigger the arithmetic overflow.

No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own actions, and the attack complexity is high because the exploit must reliably steer the overflow into a controllable memory corruption primitive. A successful exploit yields kernel-mode code execution, allowing the attacker to disable security controls, load malicious kernel modules, or establish persistence.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Refer to the Intel Security Advisory SA-01296 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-22836

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected kernel oops, warnings, or panics referencing the Intel 800 Series Ethernet driver (ice module) in dmesg or /var/log/kern.log
Loading of unexpected kernel modules following interaction with the Ethernet driver by non-root local users
New privileged processes, SUID binaries, or root shells spawned by previously unprivileged user sessions

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Intel Ethernet driver versions across Linux hosts and flag any version earlier than 1.17.2
Monitor authenticated local sessions for interaction with ethtool, netlink, and ioctl calls targeting the ice driver from unprivileged accounts
Correlate kernel crash events with preceding user activity to identify potential exploitation attempts against the driver

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable audit rules for init_module, finit_module, and delete_module syscalls to detect unauthorized kernel module loading
Ship kernel logs and audit records into a centralized data lake for behavioral analytics and privilege escalation detection
Baseline normal ethtool and network configuration activity, then alert on anomalous invocations from interactive user sessions

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-22836

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade the Intel 800 Series Ethernet Linux kernel-mode driver to version 1.17.2 or later on all affected hosts
Apply distribution kernel updates that incorporate the fixed ice driver as soon as vendors publish them
Restrict local shell access on servers using Intel 800 Series adapters to trusted administrative users only
Review recent kernel crash logs on affected systems for signs of prior exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Intel released a fixed driver in version 1.17.2 as documented in Intel Security Advisory SA-01296. Administrators should obtain the updated driver from Intel or from their Linux distribution vendor and reboot affected systems to load the patched module. Verify the loaded driver version with modinfo ice after the update.

Workarounds

Limit local login access to Intel 800 Series Ethernet hosts using PAM, sudo, and SSH access controls until patching is complete
Apply mandatory access control policies with SELinux or AppArmor to constrain unprivileged user interaction with the ice driver interfaces
Where operationally feasible, unload the ice module on hosts that do not require Intel 800 Series Ethernet functionality

bash

# Verify the currently loaded Intel Ethernet driver version
modinfo ice | grep -E '^(version|filename):'

# After updating, reload the driver and confirm version 1.17.2 or later
sudo rmmod ice && sudo modprobe ice
dmesg | grep -i 'Intel(R) Ethernet Connection E800 Series'