📄 Description (English)
Improper input validation for some Intel(R) QAT software drivers for Windows before version 1.13 within Ring 3: User Applications may allow an escalation of privilege. Unprivileged software adversary with an authenticated user combined with a low complexity attack may enable escalation of privilege. This result may potentially occur via local access when attack requirements are not present without special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (high) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (none), integrity (none) and availability (none) impacts.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-20767 is a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability in Intel QAT software drivers for Windows (versions before 1.13) affecting Ring 3 user applications. An authenticated local attacker can exploit improper input validation to escalate privileges with low complexity and no user interaction required. This vulnerability poses significant risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems, particularly those handling cryptographic operations in Saudi financial and government sectors.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 15, 2026 23:49
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses critical risk to Saudi organizations utilizing Intel QAT for cryptographic acceleration: (1) Banking/SAMA-regulated institutions using QAT for payment processing and transaction encryption face potential compromise of financial data confidentiality and integrity; (2) Government/NCA systems relying on QAT for secure communications could experience unauthorized access to classified information; (3) ARAMCO and energy sector infrastructure using QAT for industrial control system encryption; (4) Telecom operators (STC, Mobily, Zain) using QAT for network security and VPN acceleration; (5) Healthcare providers processing patient data with QAT-accelerated encryption. The lack of available patches creates immediate operational risk requiring urgent compensating controls.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services (SAMA-regulated)
Government and Public Administration (NCA oversight)
Energy and Oil & Gas (ARAMCO, downstream operators)
Telecommunications (STC, Mobily, Zain)
Healthcare and Medical Services
Defense and Security
Critical Infrastructure
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
T1548.004 - Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: Elevated Execution with Prompt
T1134.003 - Access Token Manipulation: Make and Impersonate Token
T1547.001 - Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
T1547.008 - Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: LSASS Driver
T1543.003 - Create or Modify System Process: Windows Service
T1112 - Modify Registry
T1070.005 - Indicator Removal: File Deletion
T1562.001 - Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Inventory all systems running Intel QAT drivers for Windows and identify version numbers
2. Isolate or restrict network access to systems running vulnerable QAT versions (pre-1.13)
3. Implement strict access controls limiting local user access to systems with QAT drivers
4. Monitor for suspicious privilege escalation attempts on affected systems
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Upgrade Intel QAT software drivers to version 1.13 or later when available
2. Contact Intel support for emergency patches if critical systems cannot be immediately updated
3. Establish patch testing procedures before deployment in production environments
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (until patch available):
1. Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation attempts
2. Deploy Host-Based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) with rules detecting Ring 3 to Ring 0 transitions
3. Enable Windows Event Logging for privilege escalation events (Event ID 4672, 4673)
4. Restrict local administrative access and enforce principle of least privilege
5. Disable QAT drivers on non-critical systems if cryptographic acceleration is not essential
6. Implement kernel patch protection and Code Integrity Guard (HVCI) if supported
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for abnormal system calls from user-mode applications attempting kernel access
2. Alert on failed and successful privilege escalation attempts in Windows Security logs
3. Track Intel QAT driver API calls for suspicious input patterns
4. Monitor process creation with elevated privileges from previously unprivileged processes
5. Implement EDR solutions with behavioral analysis for privilege escalation patterns
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. قم بحصر جميع الأنظمة التي تقوم بتشغيل برامج تشغيل Intel QAT لنظام Windows وحدد أرقام الإصدارات
2. عزل أو تقييد الوصول إلى الشبكة للأنظمة التي تقوم بتشغيل إصدارات QAT الضعيفة (قبل 1.13)
3. تطبيق عناصر تحكم وصول صارمة تحد من وصول المستخدم المحلي إلى الأنظمة التي تحتوي على برامج تشغيل QAT
4. مراقبة محاولات رفع الامتيازات المريبة على الأنظمة المتأثرة
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. ترقية برامج تشغيل Intel QAT إلى الإصدار 1.13 أو أحدث عند توفره
2. الاتصال بدعم Intel للحصول على تصحيحات طارئة إذا لم يتمكن من تحديث الأنظمة الحرجة على الفور
3. إنشاء إجراءات اختبار التصحيح قبل النشر في بيئات الإنتاج
عناصر التحكم التعويضية (حتى يتوفر التصحيح):
1. تطبيق قائمة بيضاء للتطبيقات لمنع محاولات رفع الامتيازات غير المصرح بها
2. نشر نظام الكشف عن التطفل المستند إلى المضيف (HIDS) مع قواعد الكشف عن انتقالات Ring 3 إلى Ring 0
3. تفعيل تسجيل أحداث Windows لأحداث رفع الامتيازات (معرف الحدث 4672، 4673)
4. تقييد الوصول الإداري المحلي وفرض مبدأ أقل امتياز
5. تعطيل برامج تشغيل QAT على الأنظمة غير الحرجة إذا لم يكن تسريع التشفير ضروريًا
6. تطبيق حماية التصحيح النواة وحماية سلامة الكود (HVCI) إن أمكن
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة استدعاءات النظام غير الطبيعية من تطبيقات وضع المستخدم التي تحاول الوصول إلى النواة
2. تنبيه محاولات رفع الامتيازات الفاشلة والناجحة في سجلات أمان Windows
3. تتبع استدعاءات واجهة برمجة تطبيقات Intel QAT لأنماط إدخال مريبة
4. مراقبة إنشاء العملية بامتيازات مرتفعة من العمليات التي كانت بدون امتيازات سابقًا
5. تطبيق حلول EDR مع التحليل السلوكي لأنماط رفع الامتيازات
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
A.5.2.1 - Access control implementation
A.5.2.2 - User access management
A.5.2.3 - Privileged access rights
A.5.3.1 - Cryptographic controls
A.8.1.1 - Asset inventory and management
A.8.2.1 - System hardening and configuration
A.8.3.1 - Vulnerability management
A.8.3.2 - Patch management
🔵 SAMA CSF
Governance & Risk Management - Risk Assessment and Management
Information & Cybersecurity - Access Control and Authentication
Information & Cybersecurity - Cryptographic Controls
Information & Cybersecurity - Vulnerability and Patch Management
Operational Resilience - System Monitoring and Incident Response
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.5.1.1 - Policies for information security
A.5.2.1 - User registration and de-registration
A.5.2.2 - User access provisioning
A.5.2.3 - Management of privileged access rights
A.5.3.1 - Cryptography
A.8.1.1 - Inventory of assets
A.8.2.1 - Configuration management
A.8.3.1 - Information security vulnerability management
A.8.3.2 - Remediation of information security vulnerabilities
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
Requirement 1.1 - Firewall configuration standards
Requirement 2.1 - Default security parameters
Requirement 6.2 - Security patches and updates
Requirement 8.1 - User identification and authentication
Requirement 8.2 - Access control implementation
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
intel:quickassist_technology