CVE-2026-20709

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{"affected": [{"affectedData": [{"defaultStatus": "unaffected", "product": "Intel(R) Pentium(R) Processor Silver Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor J Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor N Series may allow an escalation of privilege. Hardware reverse engineer adversary with a privileged user combined with a high complexity attack may enable escalation of privilege. This result may potentially occur via physical access when attack requirements are present with special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. 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The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (high), integrity (none) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts."}, {"lang": "es", "value": "El uso de una clave criptogr\u00e1fica predeterminada en el hardware para algunas series de procesadores Intel(R) Pentium(R) Silver, series de procesadores Intel(R) Celeron(R) J, series de procesadores Intel(R) Celeron(R) N puede permitir una escalada de privilegios. Un adversario de ingenier\u00eda inversa de hardware con un usuario privilegiado combinado con un ataque de alta complejidad puede permitir la escalada de privilegios. Este resultado puede ocurrir potencialmente a trav\u00e9s de acceso f\u00edsico cuando los requisitos de ataque est\u00e1n presentes con conocimiento interno especial y no requiere interacci\u00f3n del usuario. La vulnerabilidad potencial puede impactar la confidencialidad (alta), integridad (ninguna) y disponibilidad (ninguna) del sistema vulnerable, lo que resulta en impactos posteriores en la confidencialidad (alta), integridad (alta) y disponibilidad (ninguna) del sistema."}], "id": "CVE-2026-20709", "lastModified": "2026-07-25T11:10:00.100", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"cvssData": {"attackComplexity": "HIGH", "attackVector": "PHYSICAL", "availabilityImpact": "NONE", "baseScore": 6.6, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "HIGH", "scope": "CHANGED", "userInteraction": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N", "version": "3.1"}, "exploitabilityScore": 0.3, "impactScore": 5.8, "source": "secure@intel.com", "type": "Secondary"}], "cvssMetricV40": [{"cvssData": {"Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackComplexity": "HIGH", "attackRequirements": "PRESENT", "attackVector": "PHYSICAL", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 5.8, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "privilegesRequired": "HIGH", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "subConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "subIntegrityImpact": "HIGH", "userInteraction": "NONE", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X", "version": "4.0", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"}, "source": "secure@intel.com", "type": "Secondary"}], "ssvcV203": [{"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "ssvcData": {"id": "CVE-2026-20709", "options": [{"exploitation": "none"}, {"automatable": "no"}, {"technicalImpact": "partial"}], "role": "CISA Coordinator", "timestamp": "2026-04-08T19:49:48.538705Z", "version": "2.0.3"}}]}, "published": "2026-04-08T19:25:12.600", "references": [{"source": "secure@intel.com", "url": "https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00609.html"}], "sourceIdentifier": "secure@intel.com", "vulnStatus": "Awaiting Analysis", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-1394"}], "source": "secure@intel.com", "type": "Secondary"}]}

{"bugzilla": {"description": "microcode_ctl: Intel Processors: Escalation of privilege due to default cryptographic key", "id": "2456637", "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2456637"}, "csaw": false, "cvss3": {"cvss3_base_score": "6.6", "cvss3_scoring_vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N", "status": "draft"}, "cwe": "CWE-1392", "details": ["A flaw was found in some Intel Pentium Processor Silver Series, Intel Celeron Processor J Series, and Intel Celeron Processor N Series. This vulnerability arises from the use of a default cryptographic key in the hardware. A sophisticated attacker with physical access and privileged user access could exploit this to achieve an escalation of privilege, potentially compromising the system's confidentiality and integrity."], "name": "CVE-2026-20709", "package_state": [{"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "microcode_ctl", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "microcode_ctl", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "microcode_ctl", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "microcode_ctl", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "microcode_ctl", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9"}], "public_date": "2026-04-08T18:20:48Z", "references": ["https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-20709\nhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20709\nhttps://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00609.html"], "threat_severity": "Moderate"}

{"affected": [{"configurations": [{"platform": null, "status": "affected", "versions": null}], "enrichment": {"confidence": 100.0, "confidence_source": "manual", "scores": [{"score": 100.0, "source": "manual"}]}, "original": {"product": "Intel(R) Pentium(R) Processor Silver Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor J Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor N Series may allow an escalation of privilege. Hardware reverse engineer adversary with a privileged user combined with a high complexity attack may enable escalation of privilege. This result may potentially occur via physical access when attack requirements are present with special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (high), integrity (none) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts.", "source": "cna", "vendor": "n/a"}, "product": "celeron_processor_j_series", "vendor": "intel"}, {"configurations": [{"platform": null, "status": "affected", "versions": null}], "enrichment": {"confidence": 100.0, "confidence_source": "manual", "scores": [{"score": 100.0, "source": "manual"}]}, "original": {"product": "Intel(R) Pentium(R) Processor Silver Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor J Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor N Series may allow an escalation of privilege. Hardware reverse engineer adversary with a privileged user combined with a high complexity attack may enable escalation of privilege. This result may potentially occur via physical access when attack requirements are present with special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (high), integrity (none) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts.", "source": "cna", "vendor": "n/a"}, "product": "celeron_processor_n_series", "vendor": "intel"}, {"configurations": [{"platform": null, "status": "affected", "versions": null}], "enrichment": {"confidence": 100.0, "confidence_source": "manual", "scores": [{"score": 100.0, "source": "manual"}]}, "original": {"product": "Intel(R) Pentium(R) Processor Silver Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor J Series, Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor N Series may allow an escalation of privilege. Hardware reverse engineer adversary with a privileged user combined with a high complexity attack may enable escalation of privilege. This result may potentially occur via physical access when attack requirements are present with special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (high), integrity (none) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts.", "source": "cna", "vendor": "n/a"}, "product": "pentium_processor_silver_series", "vendor": "intel"}], "analysis": {"en": {"generated_at": "2026-04-10T01:52:05.727368+00:00", "value": {"mitigation_remediation": ["Install the latest microcode update issued by Intel as part of Security Advisory SA-00609", "Confirm that your system\u2019s processors belong to the affected Pentium Silver, Celeron J, or Celeron N families", "Restrict physical access to the hardware to prevent reverse engineering attempts", "Apply any available BIOS or firmware updates that replace the default cryptographic key implementation", "Monitor system logs for unusual privilege escalation activity and keep the microcode up to date"], "summary": {"action": "Apply Patch", "impact": "Privilege Escalation"}, "threat_synthesis": {"affected_systems": "The vulnerability affects all Intel Pentium Silver series, Celeron J series, and Celeron N series processors. No specific firmware or bootstrap version information is provided, so each unit of the listed families should be examined. Organizations using these CPUs should verify whether default cryptographic keys are in use and whether they belong to the affected families.", "description_and_impact": "Default cryptographic keys embedded in the silicon of certain Intel Pentium Silver, Celeron J, and Celeron N processors enable an attacker with privileged user access to elevate privileges. The flaw arises from using a predictable hardware key instead of a random one, allowing manipulation of cryptographic operations. The impact on confidentiality is high; integrity and availability are not directly compromised. The likely attack vector involves physical access to the hardware combined with privileged credentials and deep knowledge of the processor internals.", "risk_and_exploitability": "The CVSS score of 5.8 indicates moderate severity, and the EPSS score of less than 1% suggests a low likelihood of exploitation in the wild. The advisory is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, indicating no known public exploitation. Because the attack requires physical access, privileged user rights, and sophisticated hardware reverse engineering, the risk is moderate. Software fixes are limited; updates are typically delivered via microcode or BIOS modifications."}}}}, "created": "2026-04-09T08:18:30.046450+00:00", "updated": "2026-04-10T09:40:35.769431+00:00", "vendors": ["intel", "intel$PRODUCT$celeron_processor_j_series", "intel$PRODUCT$celeron_processor_n_series", "intel$PRODUCT$pentium_processor_silver_series"]}