CVE-2021-0096

Local privilege escalation via installer authentication

Published Nov 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper authentication in the Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool before 1.78.1.1 allows local users to escalate privileges. The flaw is in the software installer, but Intel has not published which authentication operation mishandles untrusted input. Exploitation requires authenticated local access, user interaction, and additional conditions before elevated privileges are granted on the host.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authentication in the Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool before 1.78.1.1 allows local users to escalate privileges. The flaw is in the software installer, but Intel has not published which authentication operation mishandles untrusted input. Exploitation requires authenticated local access, user interaction, and additional conditions before elevated privileges are granted on the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0096
Published
Nov 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
Product
Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 17, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=before version 1.78.1.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. · Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Toolversion=before version 1.78.1.1

Published CVSS scores

6.7Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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