CVE-2019-11154 in PROSet Wireless WiFi Software
Summary
by MITRE
Improper directory permissions in Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software before version 21.40 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable denial of service and information disclosure via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-11154 represents a critical directory permission flaw within Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software versions prior to 21.40. This issue stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that govern the file system permissions of directories associated with the wireless networking software components. The flaw specifically affects the configuration and data storage directories where sensitive wireless network credentials, connection profiles, and system configuration files are maintained. Security researchers identified that these directories were created with overly permissive access controls that allowed any authenticated user to read, modify, or delete critical system files without proper authorization. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized data access that directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of wireless network configurations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through local system access where an authenticated user can leverage the improper directory permissions to manipulate wireless network settings and potentially extract sensitive information from the system. The flaw manifests as weak discretionary access control (DAC) implementations that fail to properly enforce access restrictions on system directories. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-276 which specifically addresses incorrect permissions for critical resources, and potentially CWE-264 which covers permissions, privileges, and access controls. The vulnerability exists at the operating system level where directory permissions are not correctly enforced, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by both malicious insiders and external attackers who gain local access to the system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for enterprise environments where multiple users share systems or where security boundaries are not properly enforced. An authenticated local user can potentially disable wireless connectivity for all users, modify network profiles to redirect traffic through malicious servers, or extract stored wireless credentials that could be used for network infiltration. The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability can render wireless networking functionality unavailable, impacting productivity and potentially creating security gaps when users are forced to rely on alternative connectivity methods. Information disclosure risks are particularly concerning as wireless network credentials, connection parameters, and system configuration details could be accessed by unauthorized users. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK techniques such as T1068 (Local Port Forwarding) and T1003 (OS Credential Dumping) where attackers can leverage compromised local access to escalate privileges and extract sensitive information from system directories.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software version 21.40 or later which addresses the directory permission issues through proper access control enforcement. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of directory permissions on systems running affected software versions, ensuring that wireless configuration directories are properly secured with restricted access controls. Additional mitigations include implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized modification of wireless configuration files, establishing proper user access controls and privilege separation, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to wireless network configuration directories. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation and highlights the need for regular security assessments of system components that handle sensitive network configuration data. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unusual access patterns to wireless configuration directories, as this can serve as an indicator of potential exploitation attempts.