CVE-2025-24495

Vulnerability

Overview

CVE-2025-24495 describes an incorrect initialization of a resource in the branch prediction unit of certain Intel Core Ultra Processors [1]. This hardware-level flaw falls under the category of speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities, where microarchitectural state is not properly cleared or initialized during branch prediction operations. The root cause lies in the processor's handling of prediction resources, which can leave residual data accessible to subsequent operations.

Exploitation

Details

The attack surface is limited to local access, requiring an authenticated user to execute code on the target system [1]. No special privileges beyond standard user-level access are mentioned as prerequisites. The attacker would typically run a malicious or untrusted program that probes the branch prediction unit to observe differences in timing or access patterns, inferring the state of other processes or the operating system. This aligns with known microarchitectural side-channel techniques, though the specific method is not detailed in the advisory.

Impact

Assessment

Successful exploitation could enable information disclosure, allowing the attacker to learn secrets such as cryptographic keys, passwords, or other sensitive data processed by other applications or the kernel on the same machine [1]. The CVSS v3 score of 5.6 (Medium) reflects the requirement for local authentication, which reduces the attack's reach compared to a network-based vulnerability. However, in multi-tenant environments or systems where untrusted code runs, the risk is elevated.

Mitigation

Status

Intel has addressed this issue through microcode updates or firmware patches, as outlined in INTEL-SA-01322 [1]. Users and system administrators should consult their original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or the Intel advisory for the specific mitigation steps and ensure that systems running affected Core Ultra processors are updated to the latest firmware version. As of the publication date, no workarounds beyond applying the patch are suggested.