CVE-2025-20618 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software for Windows versions prior to 23.100. The flaw is a stack-based buffer overflow that can be triggered by a privileged user with local access to the affected system. This vulnerability allows the attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition by corrupting the stack memory, potentially crashing the wireless software or the entire system. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited with low complexity, given the attacker already has elevated privileges on the host. The CVSS 4.0 score of 8.3 reflects the high impact on system availability and integrity, with no confidentiality impact. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), no authentication (AT:N), but high privileges (PR:H). The vulnerability affects the wireless driver software that manages WiFi connectivity on Windows machines, which is critical for network access and operations. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of a stack-based buffer overflow in privileged software poses a significant risk for targeted attacks or insider threats. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software is deployed on Windows endpoints, including enterprise laptops and desktops that rely on Intel wireless adapters and drivers for network connectivity.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to significant operational disruptions. Since the flaw enables denial of service via local privileged access, an attacker who gains administrative or SYSTEM-level access could crash the wireless service or the entire system, causing loss of network connectivity. This can impact business continuity, especially in environments heavily dependent on wireless connectivity for critical operations, remote work, or cloud access. The integrity of the system could also be compromised, potentially allowing further exploitation or privilege escalation chains. The lack of confidentiality impact reduces the risk of data leakage directly from this vulnerability, but the denial of service could be leveraged as part of a broader attack strategy to disrupt services or distract security teams. European organizations with large fleets of Windows devices using Intel wireless drivers are at risk, particularly those in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure where network availability is paramount. Additionally, the vulnerability could be exploited by malicious insiders or malware that has already obtained elevated privileges, making internal threat detection and mitigation critical.

Organizations should prioritize updating Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software to version 23.100 or later, where this vulnerability is patched. Until the update is applied, restrict local administrative access to trusted personnel only and monitor for unusual activity on endpoints with Intel wireless drivers. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect attempts to exploit buffer overflows or abnormal crashes of wireless services. Employ strict privilege management policies to minimize the number of users with high-level privileges on Windows devices. Network segmentation can limit the impact of compromised devices. Additionally, consider deploying application whitelisting and behavior-based anomaly detection to identify exploitation attempts. Regularly audit installed software versions across the enterprise to ensure vulnerable versions are identified and remediated promptly. For organizations with remote or hybrid workforces, ensure secure VPN or alternative network access methods are available in case wireless connectivity is disrupted due to exploitation of this vulnerability.