CVE-2022-21229 in NUC 9 Extreme Laptop Kit Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 08/19/2022
Improper buffer restrictions for some Intel(R) NUC 9 Extreme Laptop Kit drivers before version 2.2.0.22 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2026
This vulnerability affects Intel NUC 9 Extreme Laptop Kit drivers prior to version 2.2.0.22 and represents a critical privilege escalation flaw that can be exploited by authenticated local users. The issue stems from improper buffer restrictions within the driver components, creating a potential pathway for attackers to elevate their system privileges from standard user level to administrative access. The vulnerability specifically targets the kernel-mode driver components that manage hardware interactions and system resources, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might have legitimate access to the system but should not possess administrative capabilities. From a cybersecurity perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that can lead to arbitrary code execution in kernel space.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves buffer management flaws within the driver code that fail to properly validate input lengths or memory boundaries during data processing operations. Attackers with local authenticated access can craft specific inputs that exceed the allocated buffer space, potentially causing memory corruption that allows privilege escalation. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when developers do not implement proper bounds checking or use unsafe memory manipulation functions that do not verify buffer limits before writing data. The attack vector requires local system access, which means the user must already have login credentials or physical access to the device, but once exploited, the consequences can be severe as the attacker gains elevated privileges that could allow full system compromise. The vulnerability classification aligns with attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1068, which covers 'Local Privilege Escalation' and specifically addresses kernel-mode exploits that leverage buffer overflows.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can enable attackers to bypass security controls that rely on user privilege levels for access enforcement. Organizations using affected Intel NUC systems may experience unauthorized access to sensitive data, system modification, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for enterprise environments where these devices might be used as workstations or in remote access scenarios, as it could allow attackers to establish persistent access to networks through compromised endpoints. System administrators should be aware that this vulnerability can be exploited through legitimate user access channels, making it harder to detect compared to network-based attacks. The risk is compounded by the fact that many organizations may not regularly update driver software, particularly on specialized hardware like NUC systems, leaving these devices vulnerable to exploitation for extended periods. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to address this vulnerability, as the window of opportunity for exploitation remains open until the affected drivers are updated to version 2.2.0.22 or later. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual privilege escalation attempts or anomalous system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.