CVE-2025-27713: Intel QAT Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

CVE-2025-27713 Overview

CVE-2025-27713 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability [CWE-787] affecting Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT) Windows software prior to version 2.6.0. The flaw resides in Ring 3 user application code and allows an authenticated local attacker to escalate privileges on affected systems. Successful exploitation requires local access and a high-complexity attack sequence, but no user interaction. Intel disclosed the issue in advisory Intel-SA-01373.

Critical Impact
An authenticated local adversary who wins the exploitation conditions can gain elevated privileges, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected host.

Affected Products

Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT) Windows software before version 2.6.0
Windows systems using Intel QAT drivers or user-mode components
Deployments relying on QAT for cryptographic or compression acceleration on Windows

Discovery Timeline

2025-11-11 - CVE-2025-27713 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-27713

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write within a Ring 3 user-mode component of Intel QAT Windows software. Ring 3 code writes data beyond the intended buffer boundary, corrupting adjacent memory regions. An authenticated local user interacting with the vulnerable component can trigger the write and manipulate process state to achieve privilege escalation.

Intel classifies the flaw as high severity. Exploitation requires local access and a high-complexity attack chain, meaning the attacker must satisfy specific runtime conditions to reliably corrupt memory. No user interaction beyond the attacker's own session is required.

The impact on the vulnerable system is rated high across confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Subsequent system impact beyond the affected component is rated none, indicating the compromise is scoped to the vulnerable process context.

Root Cause

The defect is an out-of-bounds write [CWE-787] in the Intel QAT Windows user-mode software stack. The vulnerable code path does not correctly validate buffer boundaries before performing a write operation, allowing memory beyond an allocated region to be modified.

Attack Vector

An attacker must already hold authenticated local access on the target host. The attacker invokes the vulnerable QAT user-mode component and supplies crafted input that drives execution into the out-of-bounds write. Because the attack complexity is high, the adversary must control precise runtime conditions to convert the memory corruption into privilege escalation.

No verified public exploit code is available for CVE-2025-27713. See the Intel Security Advisory SA-01373 for authoritative technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-27713

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected crashes or access violations in Intel QAT user-mode processes on Windows hosts
Local user accounts spawning processes with elevated integrity levels after interacting with QAT components
Anomalous child processes created from QAT-associated binaries

Detection Strategies

Inventory Windows endpoints and servers for Intel QAT software and identify installations below version 2.6.0
Monitor for privilege escalation patterns originating from user-mode QAT components using endpoint behavioral telemetry
Correlate Windows event logs for token elevation and process integrity changes tied to QAT process trees

Monitoring Recommendations

Collect and forward Windows Security, Sysmon, and application crash telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for baseline deviation analysis
Alert on repeated exceptions in QAT user-mode binaries, which may indicate exploitation attempts against the out-of-bounds write
Track installations of Intel QAT drivers and user-mode packages to ensure patched versions are deployed fleet-wide

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-27713

Immediate Actions Required

Update Intel QAT Windows software to version 2.6.0 or later on all affected systems
Restrict local interactive and remote authenticated access on hosts running QAT until patching is complete
Audit local user privileges and remove unnecessary accounts from systems where QAT is installed

Patch Information

Intel has released a fixed version of the QAT Windows software. Administrators should upgrade to version 2.6.0 or later as directed in Intel Security Advisory SA-01373. Validate the installed version after patching and confirm that legacy QAT components are removed.

Workarounds

If patching cannot be performed immediately, disable or uninstall the Intel QAT Windows software on hosts that do not require cryptographic or compression offload
Enforce least-privilege policies to minimize the number of authenticated local users who can invoke QAT components
Apply application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized processes from interacting with QAT user-mode binaries

bash

# Verify installed Intel QAT Windows software version
# Run from an elevated PowerShell prompt
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*Intel*QuickAssist*" } | Select-Object Name, Version