How severe is CVE-2026-20898?

CVE-2026-20898 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2026-20898 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (2nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-20898?

CVE-2026-20898 primarily affects Intel Xeon 6315p Firmware. In total, 175 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-20898?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2026-20898 published?

CVE-2026-20898 was published on 2026-08-11 and last updated on 2026-08-31.

CVE-2026-20898

CVE-2026-20898 is a high-severity vulnerability in Intel Xeon 6315p Firmware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-284.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.2)
CVSS v4: 8.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (2nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-284
Affected product: Intel Xeon 6315p Firmware
Published: 2026-08-11
Last modified: 2026-08-31

Description

Improper access control in the firmware for some in Alias Checking Trusted Module for some Intel(R) Xeon(R) processors may allow an escalation of privilege. Startup code and SMM 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 (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-20898?: Improper access control in the firmware for some in Alias Checking Trusted Module for some Intel(R) Xeon(R) processors may allow an escalation of privilege. Startup code and SMM 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 (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (high), integrity (high) and availability (none) impacts.
How severe is CVE-2026-20898?: CVE-2026-20898 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2026-20898 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (2nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-20898?: CVE-2026-20898 primarily affects Intel Xeon 6315p Firmware. In total, 175 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-20898?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2026-20898 published?: CVE-2026-20898 was published on 2026-08-11 and last updated on 2026-08-31.

References

https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01439.html

Affected products (175)

cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6315p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6325p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6333p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6337p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6349p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6353p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6357p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6369p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6377p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6503p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6503p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6505p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6507p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6511p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6513p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6515p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6516p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6517p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6518p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6520p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6521p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6523p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6527p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6530p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6532p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6533p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6543p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6544p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6546p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6548p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6553p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6556p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6563p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6706p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6710e_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6714p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6716p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6718p-b_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6724p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:intel:xeon_6725p_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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