CVE-2025-32735 is a vulnerability identified in certain firmware components of Intel(R) Neural Processing Unit (NPU) drivers operating at Ring 1 privilege level. The root cause is an improper condition check within the firmware, which can be triggered by an unprivileged but authenticated local user. Exploitation requires local access but no special internal knowledge or user interaction, and the attack complexity is low. Successful exploitation results in a denial of service (DoS) condition, causing the affected system or device to become unavailable. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity, focusing solely on availability degradation. Intel NPUs are specialized hardware accelerators designed to enhance AI and machine learning workloads, and their drivers are critical for proper operation. The vulnerability was published in early 2026 with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 6.8, categorized as medium severity. No known exploits have been reported in the wild to date. The affected versions are not explicitly listed but are referenced in vendor advisories. The attack vector is local, requiring low privileges but no user interaction, making it feasible in environments where authenticated users have limited access but could attempt to disrupt system availability. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure firmware validation and robust condition checking within device drivers, especially for emerging AI hardware components.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-32735 is the potential for denial of service on systems utilizing Intel NPU drivers. This could disrupt AI and machine learning workloads, critical in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and research institutions that rely on AI acceleration. Availability loss could lead to operational downtime, delayed processing, and potential cascading effects on dependent services. Since the vulnerability requires local authenticated access, insider threats or compromised user accounts pose a significant risk vector. The lack of confidentiality or integrity impact limits data breach concerns but does not diminish the operational risk. Organizations with extensive deployment of Intel NPUs in their infrastructure may experience service interruptions, affecting business continuity and productivity. Additionally, the absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation. However, the increasing adoption of AI hardware in Europe elevates the strategic importance of securing these components against availability attacks.

1. Apply official patches and firmware updates from Intel as soon as they become available to address the improper condition check in the NPU drivers. 2. Restrict local user access to systems running Intel NPUs, enforcing strict access controls and least privilege principles to minimize the risk of exploitation by unprivileged users. 3. Implement robust monitoring and logging of driver and firmware behavior to detect anomalies indicative of attempted exploitation or denial of service conditions. 4. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting unusual local activity related to device drivers. 5. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments focusing on AI hardware components and their drivers. 6. Educate system administrators and users about the risks of local access vulnerabilities and the importance of credential security to prevent insider threats. 7. Consider network segmentation for critical AI processing systems to limit exposure and contain potential disruptions. 8. Maintain an incident response plan that includes scenarios involving denial of service on AI hardware to ensure rapid recovery and mitigation.