CVE-2026-24099 in PROSet
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2026
Use after free for some Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software for Windows within Ring 0: Kernel may allow a denial of service. System software adversary with an unauthenticated user combined with a high complexity attack may enable denial of service. This result may potentially occur via local access when attack requirements are present without special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (none), integrity (none) and availability (high) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (none), integrity (none) and availability (none) impacts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2026
This vulnerability represents a use-after-free condition affecting Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software for Windows operating systems within kernel-level execution context. The flaw exists in the ring 0 kernel components of the wireless networking stack, where improper memory management allows malicious code to potentially exploit freed memory locations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation mechanisms during memory deallocation processes, creating opportunities for adversaries to manipulate system resources through crafted inputs or sequences that trigger the vulnerable code paths.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves kernel-mode drivers that handle wireless network configuration and management functions. When legitimate operations complete and memory allocated for wireless driver structures is freed, subsequent access attempts may still reference these locations without proper bounds checking. This condition creates a potential entry point for privilege escalation attacks, as attackers can manipulate the freed memory to redirect execution flow or corrupt critical kernel data structures. The vulnerability specifically impacts the system's ability to maintain stable wireless connectivity and potentially allows unauthorized access to kernel resources that should remain protected.
Operational impact assessment reveals significant availability concerns for systems running affected Intel PROSet/Wireless software versions. An unauthenticated attacker with local access can leverage this vulnerability to induce denial of service conditions that may persist until system reboot occurs. The high complexity attack requirement suggests that exploitation involves multi-step processes requiring specific system configurations or timing windows, though the lack of user interaction requirements makes it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where automated attacks could occur. The vulnerability's potential for persistent disruption means that network connectivity services remain unavailable until remediation measures are applied to the kernel components.
Security mitigation strategies should focus on immediate software updates from Intel that address the memory management flaws in the wireless driver components. System administrators must ensure all affected systems receive patches promptly, particularly those running enterprise wireless infrastructure where availability is critical. Network monitoring should include detection of abnormal wireless connectivity patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free errors in memory management, and potentially maps to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and system resource manipulation. Organizations should implement least privilege principles for wireless network configuration processes and consider disabling unnecessary wireless functionality when not required for operational tasks.
Additional protective measures include implementing kernel-mode exploit detection mechanisms that monitor for suspicious memory access patterns and anomalous driver behavior. Regular system integrity checks should verify the proper functioning of wireless driver components, with particular attention to memory allocation and deallocation sequences. Security teams must maintain awareness of related vulnerabilities in Intel wireless networking stack components, as similar memory management issues may exist in other kernel-level software components. The combination of local access requirements with high complexity attack vectors suggests that while exploitation is not trivial, the potential impact makes this vulnerability worthy of immediate remediation priority across all systems running affected Intel wireless software versions.
The vulnerability's potential for system-wide availability impacts requires comprehensive risk assessment across enterprise networks where wireless connectivity serves as primary communication pathways. Organizations should establish incident response procedures specifically addressing kernel-level memory corruption vulnerabilities that may affect wireless network functionality and overall system stability. Regular security assessments of wireless networking components help identify additional attack surfaces that may present similar memory management weaknesses requiring attention through coordinated patching programs and vendor communications.