CVE-2025-32088 identifies a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability in Intel(R) QuickAssist Technology (QAT) Windows software versions before 2.6.0. The flaw stems from improper condition checks within user-mode (Ring 3) components of the software, which handle cryptographic and compression acceleration. An attacker with authenticated local access and low privileges can exploit this vulnerability by triggering the improper condition, causing the software or system to become unresponsive or crash, resulting in a denial of service. The attack complexity is low, and no user interaction is required, making it relatively straightforward to exploit once local access is obtained. The vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, focusing solely on availability impact. Since the attack requires local access and authenticated privileges, remote exploitation is not feasible without prior system compromise. Intel QAT is commonly used in enterprise environments to accelerate cryptographic workloads, so affected systems may include servers and workstations in data centers or critical infrastructure. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the medium CVSS score of 4.8 reflects the moderate risk posed by this vulnerability. Mitigation involves upgrading to Intel QAT Windows software version 2.6.0 or later, where the improper condition checks have been corrected.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-32088 is the potential disruption of services relying on Intel QAT hardware acceleration. This could affect performance and availability of cryptographic operations, data compression, and other accelerated workloads, potentially leading to downtime or degraded service quality. While confidentiality and integrity are not impacted, availability issues could disrupt business-critical applications, especially in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, and government services that depend on high-performance cryptographic processing. Organizations using Intel QAT in virtualized or cloud environments may experience cascading effects if the vulnerability is exploited on shared infrastructure. The requirement for local authenticated access limits the risk from external attackers but raises concerns about insider threats or attackers who have already gained limited access. Overall, the vulnerability could lead to operational interruptions, increased incident response costs, and potential regulatory scrutiny if service availability is compromised.

European organizations should immediately identify all systems running Intel QAT Windows software versions prior to 2.6.0. They should prioritize patching or upgrading these systems to version 2.6.0 or later, where the vulnerability is resolved. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local authenticated access to trusted users only, reducing the risk of exploitation. Monitoring for unusual system crashes or service interruptions related to QAT components can help detect attempted exploitation. Additionally, organizations should review and harden endpoint security to prevent unauthorized local access, including enforcing least privilege principles and using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools. Network segmentation can further isolate critical systems running Intel QAT to contain potential impacts. Finally, maintaining up-to-date inventories of hardware and software assets will facilitate rapid response to similar vulnerabilities in the future.