CVE-2026-20713 Privilege escalation in Intel(R) Xeon(R) processors may allow an escalation of privilege. System software adversary with a privileged user combined with a high 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 (none), integrity (none) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts.
A control flow flaw in Intel Xeon firmware allows privileged local attackers to escalate privileges, compromising system confidentiality and integrity.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- An administrator
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-20713?
CVE-2026-20713 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Intel(R) Xeon(R) processors may allow an escalation of privilege. System software adversary with a privileged user combined with a high 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 (none), integrity (none) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts., published on 11 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Always-incorrect control flow implementation in some firmware for some Intel(R) Xeon(R) processors may allow an escalation of privilege. System software adversary with a privileged user combined with a high 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 (none), integrity (none) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts.
Weakness: CWE-670
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-20713?
How do I fix CVE-2026-20713?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2026-20713 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20713 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2026-20713, BELL-CVE-2026-20713, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-20713, GHSA-2c6m-4rmx-m2m7, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-20713.