CVE-2025-24484: Intel 800 Series Ethernet Privilege Escalation

CVE-2025-24484 Overview

CVE-2025-24484 is an improper input validation vulnerability [CWE-20] 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 exploit the driver to escalate privileges on the affected host.

The issue resides in a kernel-mode component, so successful exploitation yields code execution at the highest privilege level. Intel disclosed the issue in advisory INTEL-SA-01296 and released a fixed driver.

Critical Impact
A local authenticated user can escalate privileges to kernel level by supplying malformed input to the Intel 800 Series Ethernet Linux driver, resulting in full compromise of the host operating system.

Affected Products

Intel 800 Series Ethernet Linux kernel-mode driver versions before 1.17.2
Linux hosts using affected Intel 800 Series Ethernet controllers (E810 family)
Server, workstation, and virtualization platforms deploying the vulnerable driver

Discovery Timeline

2025-08-12 - CVE-2025-24484 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24484

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability originates in the Linux kernel-mode driver that manages Intel 800 Series (E810) Ethernet controllers. The driver fails to validate input from a lower-privileged interface before acting on it in kernel context. An authenticated local user can send crafted requests through the driver's ioctl or netlink surface to trigger the flaw.

Because the driver runs in kernel mode, unvalidated input can influence memory access, control flow, or configuration state inside the kernel. This produces a privilege escalation primitive that promotes a normal user to root or kernel-level execution. The attack requires local access and valid credentials but no user interaction.

The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates high attack complexity, which suggests the exploit path depends on specific timing, memory layout, or driver state. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts extend to subsequent systems because a compromised kernel can pivot to other trust boundaries on the host.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or insufficient validation of parameters passed from user space to the driver [CWE-20]. Intel's advisory attributes the defect to improper input validation in the driver code path prior to version 1.17.2. The vendor patch adds the required validation and rejects malformed input before it reaches sensitive kernel routines.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access with valid user credentials. The attacker interacts with the driver through its standard user-space interfaces, submitting crafted structures or parameters that the driver does not sanitize. Because the operation completes in kernel context, a successful attack yields kernel-level code execution or memory corruption suitable for privilege escalation.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is available at the time of writing, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. See the Intel Security Advisory for vendor-specific technical detail.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24484

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected kernel oops, panics, or stack traces referencing the Intel 800 Series Ethernet driver (ice module) in dmesg or /var/log/kern.log
New root-owned processes or SUID binaries created shortly after low-privilege user activity involving network device ioctls
Loading or reloading of the ice kernel module by non-administrative users

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Intel 800 Series Ethernet driver versions and flag any host running a version older than 1.17.2
Audit ioctl and netlink calls to the ice driver from non-privileged users using Linux audit rules or eBPF-based telemetry
Correlate kernel module errors with subsequent privilege changes (uid transitions from non-zero to zero) on the same host

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable and centralize kernel log collection for all Linux hosts with Intel E810 network interfaces
Deploy endpoint telemetry that records module loads, kernel warnings, and privilege escalations for review by the SOC
Alert on driver version drift across the fleet after patch deployment to catch unpatched or rolled-back systems

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24484

Immediate Actions Required

Identify Linux hosts running Intel 800 Series Ethernet adapters and determine the installed ice driver version using ethtool -i <interface> or modinfo ice
Upgrade the Intel 800 Series Ethernet Linux driver to version 1.17.2 or later on all affected hosts
Restrict local shell access on servers using the vulnerable driver until patches are applied
Review recent local logon activity on affected systems for unexpected accounts or sessions

Patch Information

Intel released a fixed driver in version 1.17.2. Administrators should obtain the updated driver from Intel's download center or through their Linux distribution's package channels once the fix is integrated. Full remediation details are published in the Intel Security Advisory INTEL-SA-01296.

Workarounds

Limit interactive and remote local access on affected hosts to trusted administrators until the driver is upgraded
Where feasible, unload the ice driver on systems that do not require the affected network interface
Apply mandatory access control policies (SELinux, AppArmor) to constrain non-administrative users from interacting with the driver's ioctl interfaces

bash

# Check installed Intel 800 Series (ice) driver version
ethtool -i eth0 | grep -E '^(driver|version)'
modinfo ice | grep -E '^(filename|version)'

# After updating the driver package, reload the module
sudo rmmod ice && sudo modprobe ice

# Verify the running version is 1.17.2 or later
ethtool -i eth0 | grep version