CVE-2025-20099 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (RST) installation software. The flaw arises from improper access control mechanisms within the installation software, which may allow an authenticated user with local access to escalate their privileges on the affected system. Specifically, the vulnerability requires the attacker to have at least low-level privileges (PR:L) and partial authentication (AT:P), along with user interaction (UI:A). The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates a local attack vector (AV:L) with high complexity (AC:H), meaning exploitation is not trivial and requires specific conditions or knowledge. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level (VC:H, VI:H, VA:H), implying that successful exploitation could lead to significant unauthorized access and control over the system. However, the scope is unchanged (SC:N), so the impact is limited to the vulnerable component or system. Intel RST is widely used in systems to manage storage devices, including RAID configurations, which are common in enterprise and consumer environments. Improper access control in the installation software could allow an attacker to gain elevated privileges, potentially leading to unauthorized modification of storage configurations, data corruption, or further system compromise. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigations are linked in the provided data, indicating that organizations should proactively monitor for updates from Intel. The affected versions are not explicitly listed here, so organizations must consult Intel's advisories to identify impacted releases. Given the nature of the vulnerability, it primarily affects systems where Intel RST installation software is present and used, typically Windows-based platforms in both consumer and enterprise contexts.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-20099 can be significant, especially for enterprises relying on Intel RST for storage management in critical infrastructure, data centers, and corporate endpoints. Successful exploitation could allow a local authenticated user to escalate privileges, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of RAID configurations, or disruption of storage services. This could result in data loss, downtime, and compromise of system integrity. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government, which often use Intel-based hardware with RST, may face increased risks. The requirement for local access and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threats or risks from compromised user accounts. Additionally, the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability underscores the potential for serious operational and reputational damage if exploited. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for mitigation but also calls for vigilance as attackers may develop exploits targeting this vulnerability.

European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Inventory all systems running Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology installation software to identify affected versions by consulting Intel's official advisories and update channels. 2) Apply patches or updates from Intel as soon as they become available to remediate the vulnerability. 3) Restrict local access to systems with Intel RST installed, enforcing strict access controls and least privilege principles to minimize the risk of exploitation by authenticated users. 4) Monitor user activity and system logs for unusual privilege escalation attempts or installation software usage. 5) Implement endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting suspicious behaviors related to privilege escalation. 6) Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted software or prompts that could trigger exploitation. 7) Consider network segmentation and enhanced authentication mechanisms to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized local access. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access, proactive patch management, and monitoring specific to the Intel RST environment.