CVE-2025-35992: Intel NPU Drivers DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-35992 Overview

CVE-2025-35992 is a firmware vulnerability affecting Intel Neural Processing Unit (NPU) Drivers within Ring 1 device drivers. The vulnerability stems from an improper conditions check (CWE-754) that allows an unprivileged software adversary to cause a denial of service condition. This flaw requires local access with authenticated user privileges and a high complexity attack to exploit successfully.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can result in complete loss of availability for the affected system, enabling denial of service attacks against Intel NPU-equipped devices.

Affected Products

• Intel NPU Drivers (firmware-level)
• Intel NPU Device Drivers within Ring 1
• Systems utilizing Intel Neural Processing Units

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-10 - CVE-2025-35992 published to NVD
• 2026-02-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-35992

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists within the firmware of Intel NPU Drivers operating at Ring 1 (device driver privilege level). The improper conditions check (CWE-754) indicates that the firmware fails to properly validate certain conditions or exceptional circumstances before proceeding with operations. When specific conditions are not adequately checked, it can lead to unexpected system behavior resulting in denial of service.

The attack requires local access to the target system and an authenticated user context. The high attack complexity indicates that successful exploitation depends on conditions beyond the attacker's direct control, though no special internal knowledge or user interaction is required. The vulnerability exclusively impacts system availability without affecting confidentiality or integrity.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-35992 is classified as CWE-754 (Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions). This weakness occurs when software does not properly anticipate or handle exceptional conditions that rarely occur during normal operation. In the context of Intel NPU firmware, the driver fails to implement adequate validation checks for certain input conditions or operational states, allowing malformed or unexpected inputs to trigger a denial of service condition.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to have authenticated access to the target system. The exploitation scenario involves:

1. An authenticated local user executes specially crafted requests targeting the Intel NPU driver
2. The firmware's improper conditions check fails to validate exceptional circumstances
3. The unhandled condition causes the NPU driver to enter an unstable state
4. System availability is impacted, resulting in denial of service

The vulnerability mechanism involves firmware-level condition validation failures within the Intel NPU driver stack. When exceptional or boundary conditions are not properly handled, the driver may crash or become unresponsive, impacting system availability. Technical details regarding specific exploitation methods can be found in the Intel Security Advisory SA-01403.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-35992

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected Intel NPU driver crashes or service interruptions
• System event logs indicating NPU driver failures or unhandled exceptions
• Repeated availability issues with AI/ML workloads utilizing Intel NPU hardware

Detection Strategies

• Monitor system logs for Intel NPU driver crash events or kernel panic indicators
• Implement application-level monitoring for NPU-dependent services experiencing unexpected failures
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying anomalous driver behavior patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for Intel NPU driver operations and firmware events
• Configure alerting for repeated driver failures or system instability events
• Monitor for unusual patterns of local user activity targeting hardware driver interfaces

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-35992

Immediate Actions Required

• Review the Intel Security Advisory SA-01403 for affected product versions and remediation guidance
• Inventory all systems utilizing Intel NPU hardware and drivers
• Prioritize patching for systems with elevated exposure to local authenticated users
• Implement access controls to limit local user access to systems with Intel NPU hardware

Patch Information

Intel has published security advisory SA-01403 addressing this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the Intel Security Advisory SA-01403 for the latest firmware updates and patching instructions specific to their Intel NPU driver versions.

Workarounds

• Restrict local access to systems with Intel NPU hardware to trusted users only
• Implement principle of least privilege for user accounts on affected systems
• Consider disabling or isolating Intel NPU functionality on systems where it is not required until patches can be applied
• Monitor affected systems closely for signs of exploitation attempts

Mitigation configuration involves ensuring Intel NPU drivers are updated to patched firmware versions. Consult the Intel Security Advisory for specific version requirements and update procedures for your hardware configuration.