CVE-2025-27560: Intel Platform DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-27560 Overview

CVE-2025-27560 is a denial of service vulnerability affecting certain Intel Platform implementations within Ring 0 (Kernel level). The vulnerability stems from a loop with an unreachable exit condition, commonly known as an infinite loop (CWE-835). When triggered, this flaw allows a privileged adversary to cause a denial of service condition through local access.

Critical Impact

A privileged attacker with local access can exploit this infinite loop vulnerability to cause a complete denial of service, severely impacting system availability.

Affected Products

• Intel(R) Platform (specific models per Intel SA-01401)
• Intel system software components operating at Ring 0

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-10 - CVE-2025-27560 published to NVD
• 2026-02-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-27560

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists within the kernel-level (Ring 0) code of certain Intel Platform implementations. The core issue is a loop construct that contains an unreachable exit condition, meaning once the loop begins execution, there is no programmatic path that allows the loop to terminate normally. This creates an infinite loop scenario that can consume CPU resources indefinitely.

The vulnerability requires a privileged user (high privileges) to exploit, but the attack complexity is low, meaning no sophisticated techniques are required once the attacker has the necessary access level. The attack can be performed locally without requiring user interaction or special internal knowledge of the system.

While the vulnerability has no impact on confidentiality or integrity, it poses a high impact to system availability. An exploited system would become unresponsive as the kernel-level infinite loop consumes CPU cycles, potentially requiring a hard reboot to recover.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-27560 is a programming flaw where a loop's exit condition can never be satisfied during execution. This type of defect (CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition) typically occurs when:

• Loop termination variables are not properly updated within the loop body
• Exit conditions depend on values that cannot change during loop execution
• Logic errors prevent the termination condition from ever evaluating to true

Because this occurs at Ring 0 (kernel level), the infinite loop cannot be interrupted by normal operating system mechanisms, leading to a complete system hang.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is local access with high privileges. An attacker who has already gained privileged access to the target system can trigger the vulnerable code path, causing the kernel to enter an infinite loop. This results in a denial of service condition where the system becomes unresponsive.

The exploitation scenario involves a system software adversary who can execute code at a privileged level. The technical details of how to trigger the vulnerable loop are documented in the Intel Security Advisory. See the Intel Security Advisory SA-01401 for complete technical details on the vulnerable code path.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-27560

Indicators of Compromise

• System hangs or becomes completely unresponsive without apparent cause
• CPU utilization spikes to 100% on one or more cores without corresponding legitimate workload
• System requires hard reboot to recover from frozen state
• Event logs showing unexpected kernel-level activity prior to system hang

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for abnormal CPU utilization patterns, particularly sustained 100% usage at kernel level
• Implement watchdog timers to detect system hangs and trigger automatic recovery
• Deploy kernel-level monitoring solutions that can detect infinite loop conditions
• Review system logs for any unusual privileged activity preceding system unresponsiveness

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for privileged user activities on affected Intel platforms
• Configure alerts for system availability metrics to detect potential DoS conditions
• Implement hardware watchdog timers where available to automatically recover from hung states
• Monitor for patterns of repeated system reboots that may indicate exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-27560

Immediate Actions Required

• Review the Intel Security Advisory SA-01401 for affected product details
• Restrict privileged access to affected systems to trusted administrators only
• Implement additional access controls and monitoring for Ring 0 operations
• Apply firmware and software updates from Intel as they become available

Patch Information

Intel has published security advisory SA-01401 addressing this vulnerability. System administrators should consult the Intel Security Advisory SA-01401 for specific patch information, affected product versions, and remediation guidance. Apply all recommended firmware and software updates to affected Intel Platform implementations.

Workarounds

• Implement strict access controls limiting privileged user access to essential personnel only
• Deploy monitoring solutions to quickly detect and respond to denial of service conditions
• Configure hardware watchdog timers to automatically recover systems from hung states
• Consider network segmentation to limit lateral movement potential for attackers who might exploit this for DoS attacks

Consult the Intel Security Advisory for vendor-recommended workarounds specific to your platform configuration.