CVE-2023-45217 in Power Gadget Software
Summary
by MITRE • 05/17/2024
Improper access control in Intel(R) Power Gadget software for Windows all versions may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-45217 represents a critical access control flaw within Intel(R) Power Gadget software for Windows environments. This software utility, designed for monitoring and analyzing power consumption data from Intel processors, contains a weakness that could be exploited by authenticated users with local system access. The flaw specifically affects all versions of the Windows implementation, indicating a widespread impact across the software's deployment landscape. The vulnerability's classification as improper access control aligns with CWE-284, which addresses inadequate access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to access resources or perform actions beyond their intended privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user permissions within the software's privilege management system. When an authenticated user accesses the Intel Power Gadget application, the software fails to properly verify whether the executing user possesses the necessary elevated privileges required for certain operations. This weakness creates a potential pathway for privilege escalation, where a local user who has already gained system access could leverage this flaw to elevate their privileges to higher levels within the operating system. The vulnerability specifically targets the software's local execution environment, meaning exploitation requires physical or remote local access to the target system, though this access point is often achievable through various initial compromise vectors.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on Intel Power Gadget for system monitoring and power management analysis. The potential privilege escalation capability means that an attacker who has already established a foothold on a system could use this vulnerability to gain elevated system privileges, potentially enabling further malicious activities such as persistent access, data exfiltration, or system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it undermines the integrity of the system's security model, potentially allowing attackers to bypass other security controls that depend on proper privilege separation. Organizations using this software in enterprise environments face heightened risk, particularly in scenarios where multiple users have local access to systems or where the software is deployed with elevated permissions.
The exploitation of CVE-2023-45217 aligns with ATT&CK tactics that focus on privilege escalation and local persistence. Adversaries could potentially use this vulnerability as part of a broader attack chain, first gaining initial access through other means such as phishing or exploitation of network vulnerabilities, then leveraging this local privilege escalation to establish more persistent and powerful footholds within the network. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling exercises, particularly when evaluating systems where Intel Power Gadget is installed and used by multiple users. The vulnerability's impact is compounded by the software's typical deployment in monitoring and analysis contexts, where it often runs with elevated privileges or requires access to system-level data that could be exploited for further compromise.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate software updates from Intel to address the access control flaw, while also implementing additional security controls such as restricting local user access to systems where the software is installed. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege enforcement can help limit the potential impact of exploitation, ensuring that even if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, their ability to move laterally within the network remains constrained. Regular security assessments should include verification of software installations and their associated privilege requirements, with particular attention to applications that may require elevated permissions for normal operation. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current software inventories and implementing robust patch management processes to address such issues promptly when they are discovered. Organizations should also consider monitoring for unusual privilege escalation activities that could indicate exploitation attempts against this or similar vulnerabilities.