CVE-2021-0076 in PROSet
Summary
by MITRE • 02/10/2022
Improper Validation of Specified Index, Position, or Offset in Input in firmware for some Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi in multiple operating systems and some Killer(TM) Wi-Fi in Windows 10 and 11 may allow a privileged user to potentially enable denial of service via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2025
This vulnerability resides in the firmware components of Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi drivers and certain Killer Wi-Fi implementations running on Windows 10 and 11 operating systems. The flaw manifests as improper validation of specified index, position, or offset parameters within input data processing mechanisms. This weakness falls under the CWE-129 category of "Improper Validation of Specified Index, Position, or Offset in Input" which represents a fundamental security issue where applications fail to properly validate array indices or memory offsets before use. The vulnerability specifically affects wireless network management software that handles user input through configuration interfaces or driver communication channels.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows an authenticated, privileged user to manipulate input parameters that control memory access operations within the wireless driver firmware. When the system processes these malformed inputs without proper validation, it can lead to buffer overflows, memory corruption, or arbitrary code execution within the privileged context of the wireless driver. The vulnerability requires local access and administrative privileges to exploit, making it less suitable for remote attacks but still concerning for environments where privilege escalation is possible. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Local Privilege Escalation' through the exploitation of software flaws that allow elevation of privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends to potential denial of service conditions where the wireless adapter becomes unresponsive or crashes entirely, rendering network connectivity unavailable to users. In more severe scenarios, the improper input validation could enable privilege escalation attacks that allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially compromising the entire system. The affected systems include multiple versions of Windows 10 and 11, indicating a broad attack surface that spans recent Microsoft operating system releases. Network administrators should be particularly concerned as this vulnerability could be exploited to disrupt wireless communications in enterprise environments, affecting productivity and potentially enabling further attacks through compromised wireless access points.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from Intel and Killer to address the specific validation flaws in their wireless driver implementations. System administrators should ensure that all wireless network components are updated to the latest firmware versions that contain patches for this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and monitoring for unusual network behavior can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation in firmware components and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of embedded systems. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, as the ability to escalate privileges through driver flaws represents a serious threat to overall system security.