CVE-2021-0167 in PROSet
Summary
by MITRE • 02/10/2022
Improper access control in software for Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer(TM) Wi-Fi in Windows 10 and 11 may allow a privileged user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2022
This vulnerability resides within Intel's PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer Wi-Fi software components that are commonly deployed on Windows 10 and 11 systems. The flaw represents a critical access control weakness that could potentially be exploited by adversaries with local user privileges to escalate their system access rights. The vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks within the software's privilege management mechanisms, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation through local system access. Such improper access control implementations fall under the CWE-284 category which specifically addresses inadequate access control or authorization flaws in software systems. The vulnerability affects both Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer Wi-Fi products, indicating a widespread issue within Intel's wireless networking software ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the software's failure to properly validate user privileges before executing sensitive operations. When a local user interacts with the vulnerable software components, the system does not adequately verify whether the requesting user possesses sufficient privileges to perform certain administrative functions. This weakness allows a privileged user to potentially manipulate the software's internal access controls and gain elevated system privileges. The attack vector requires local system access, meaning an adversary must already have a user account on the target system to exploit this vulnerability. However, once exploited, the privilege escalation could enable the attacker to perform actions typically restricted to administrators or system-level processes. This represents a classic local privilege escalation vulnerability that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploitation of software vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it could enable attackers to gain persistent access to affected systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially install malicious software, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or establish backdoors for continued system access. The widespread deployment of Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer Wi-Fi software across enterprise and consumer environments amplifies the potential impact of this vulnerability. Organizations running affected software versions may find themselves at risk of lateral movement within their networks if attackers can leverage this privilege escalation to gain administrative access to multiple systems. The vulnerability's presence in both Windows 10 and 11 operating systems indicates that it affects a broad user base and requires immediate attention from system administrators and security teams. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the software layer rather than at the network level, making it more difficult to detect through traditional network monitoring approaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates from Intel as well as implementing additional access control measures. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems with the latest Intel software updates that address the access control flaw. Additionally, organizations should implement least privilege principles and ensure that local user accounts have minimal necessary permissions to reduce the potential impact of exploitation. Network segmentation and monitoring can help detect unusual privilege escalation activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation in third-party software components and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of system utilities and drivers. Regular security assessments of installed software components should include evaluation of privilege management and access control mechanisms to identify similar weaknesses before they can be exploited by adversaries. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous privilege escalation patterns that may indicate exploitation of this or similar vulnerabilities.