CVE-2021-0183 in PROSet
Summary
by MITRE • 02/10/2022
Improper Validation of Specified Index, Position, or Offset in Input in software 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 an unauthenticated user to potentially enable denial of service via adjacent access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2025
This vulnerability resides in Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi software 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 processing mechanisms. Such validation failures typically stem from inadequate bounds checking or input sanitization routines that fail to properly verify the legitimacy of memory access parameters. The vulnerability class aligns with CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of length parameters, and CWE-131, covering improper handling of length parameters. Attackers exploiting this weakness can manipulate input data containing malformed index or offset values to trigger unexpected behavior in the wireless driver or management software components.
The technical execution of this vulnerability requires adjacent network access, meaning an attacker must be within the wireless network range to exploit the flaw. This adjacency requirement limits the attack surface but does not eliminate the threat, particularly in environments where physical access to wireless networks is possible. The vulnerability enables a denial of service condition where the targeted wireless management software or driver becomes unstable, crashes, or becomes unresponsive. This occurs because the software fails to properly validate input parameters before using them to access memory locations or perform operations on wireless configuration data. The improper handling of these parameters can lead to buffer overflows, memory corruption, or invalid memory access patterns that cause system instability or complete service disruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it can compromise the overall wireless connectivity and network management capabilities of affected systems. In enterprise environments, this could result in widespread network disruption affecting multiple devices simultaneously, particularly when the vulnerability affects central wireless management services or drivers that control multiple network interfaces. The vulnerability's presence in both Intel PROSet/Wireless and Killer Wi-Fi implementations suggests a broader impact across different hardware vendors utilizing similar software frameworks, potentially affecting thousands of devices. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as a preliminary step in more complex attack chains, potentially enabling further exploitation or serving as a vector for privilege escalation attempts.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Intel and Killer software vendors to address the input validation flaws. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected devices, particularly in enterprise environments where wireless network stability is critical. Network segmentation and access control measures can help reduce the attack surface by limiting adjacent access opportunities. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unusual wireless management traffic patterns may help identify exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in system software components and highlights the need for security testing of wireless management applications. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control measures to prevent unauthorized physical access to wireless network infrastructure, as the adjacency requirement for exploitation makes physical security an important consideration in overall risk management.