CVE-2025-31940 is a vulnerability identified in Intel Thread Director Visualizer software prior to version 1.1.1. The root cause is incorrect default permissions assigned to components of the software operating in Ring 3 (user mode), which can be exploited by an unprivileged but authenticated local user to escalate their privileges on the system. The attack requires a high level of complexity, including active user interaction, such as running malicious code or scripts locally. This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized elevation of privileges, potentially allowing an attacker to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system at a high level. The vulnerability does not require special internal knowledge but does require local access and user interaction, limiting remote exploitation. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates local attack vector (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), privileges required are low (PR:L), and user interaction is required (UI:A). The impact metrics for confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all high, indicating significant potential damage if exploited. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches are linked yet, but upgrading to version 1.1.1 or later is implied as a remediation step. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where Intel Thread Director Visualizer is used, such as software development, performance tuning, and hardware analysis contexts.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-31940 can be significant in environments where Intel Thread Director Visualizer software is deployed, particularly in development, testing, and performance analysis teams. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker with local access and low privileges to escalate their rights, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification or corruption of critical system files, and disruption of system availability. This could affect intellectual property confidentiality, compromise system integrity, and cause downtime or operational disruption. Given the requirement for local access and user interaction, the threat is more pronounced in organizations with less strict endpoint security controls or where users have elevated privileges by default. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a stepping stone for further attacks within internal networks. European organizations in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, and research that rely on Intel hardware and associated tooling may be particularly exposed. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for targeted attacks or insider threats.

1. Upgrade Intel Thread Director Visualizer software to version 1.1.1 or later as soon as it becomes available to ensure the vulnerability is patched. 2. Implement strict endpoint security policies to limit local user privileges and restrict installation or execution of unauthorized software. 3. Enforce multi-factor authentication and strong access controls to reduce the risk of unauthorized local access. 4. Educate users about the risks of executing untrusted code or files, emphasizing the need for caution with software related to hardware performance tools. 5. Monitor systems for unusual privilege escalation attempts or suspicious local activity, using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools. 6. Apply the principle of least privilege to user accounts, especially on systems running Intel Thread Director Visualizer. 7. Isolate development and performance analysis environments from critical production systems to contain potential exploitation. 8. Regularly audit software permissions and configurations to detect and remediate insecure defaults. 9. Maintain up-to-date inventories of software versions to quickly identify vulnerable installations. 10. Collaborate with Intel and security communities for timely updates and advisories.