CVE-2021-0117

Privilege escalation via undisclosed firmware pointer issue

Published Feb 9, 2022 · Updated May 5, 2025

Pointer errors in firmware for some Intel Processors allow local users with existing privileges to escalate access. Intel has not identified the affected firmware component, the pointer operation involved, or how attacker-controlled state reaches it. Exploitation requires privileged local access and can cross a security boundary, with confidentiality and integrity impact but no reported service interruption.

CVSS severity7.9
High
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Pointer errors in firmware for some Intel Processors allow local users with existing privileges to escalate access. Intel has not identified the affected firmware component, the pointer operation involved, or how attacker-controlled state reaches it. Exploitation requires privileged local access and can cross a security boundary, with confidentiality and integrity impact but no reported service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0117
Published
Feb 9, 2022
Updated
May 5, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 9, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 5, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.9IntelCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
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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