CVE-2025-30509 is an escalation of privilege vulnerability identified in Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT) software prior to version 2.6.0. The root cause is improper input validation within user applications operating in Ring 3, which is the user mode in Intel architectures. This flaw allows a local attacker who already has some level of authenticated access (low privileges) to perform data manipulation attacks that affect the integrity of the system. The attack complexity is low, meaning it does not require sophisticated techniques or special internal knowledge. No user interaction is needed for exploitation, and the attack vector is local access only. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or availability, focusing solely on integrity. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 4.8, reflecting a medium severity level. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges beyond low-level authenticated access, nor does it require user interaction, making it a concern for environments where multiple users have local access or where local privilege boundaries are critical. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the presence of this vulnerability in widely deployed Intel QAT software could pose risks if left unpatched. Intel QuickAssist Technology is commonly used to accelerate cryptographic and compression workloads, often in data centers and network appliances, which makes the integrity of these systems important for secure operations.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-30509 is on data integrity within systems utilizing Intel QuickAssist Technology. Since QAT is used to accelerate cryptographic and compression functions, an attacker exploiting this vulnerability could manipulate data processed by these functions, potentially undermining trust in cryptographic operations or data processing pipelines. Although confidentiality and availability are not directly affected, integrity compromises can lead to incorrect data being processed or transmitted, which may have downstream effects on business operations, compliance, and security posture. Organizations with multi-tenant environments or shared infrastructure where local authenticated access is possible are at higher risk. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a stepping stone for further attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities. The lack of requirement for user interaction facilitates stealthy exploitation once local access is obtained. The medium severity rating suggests that while the risk is not critical, it is significant enough to warrant timely remediation, especially in sectors handling sensitive or regulated data such as finance, healthcare, and government within Europe.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Upgrade Intel QuickAssist Technology software to version 2.6.0 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. 2) Restrict local access to systems running QAT software to trusted users only, enforcing strict access controls and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. 3) Employ host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to detect anomalous behavior indicative of privilege escalation attempts. 4) Harden system configurations to minimize the number of users with local authenticated access, especially on critical infrastructure. 5) Conduct regular audits of installed QAT software versions across the enterprise to identify and remediate outdated versions. 6) Integrate vulnerability management processes to ensure timely application of patches and updates from Intel. 7) Consider network segmentation to isolate systems running QAT software from less trusted environments. 8) Monitor logs for unusual data manipulation activities or errors related to cryptographic or compression operations accelerated by QAT. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access, version management, and monitoring specific to the affected technology.