CVE-2021-0168

Local privilege escalation via undisclosed firmware input validation

Published Feb 9, 2022 · Updated May 5, 2025

Improper input validation in Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer Wi-Fi firmware allows local users to escalate privileges. Intel identifies the affected locus only as adapter firmware and has not disclosed which input receives inadequate validation or how it reaches a privileged execution path. Exploitation requires existing high privileges and local access, enabling further privilege gain that can alter or interrupt the system without reported data disclosure.

CVSS severity5.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.31%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer Wi-Fi firmware allows local users to escalate privileges. Intel identifies the affected locus only as adapter firmware and has not disclosed which input receives inadequate validation or how it reaches a privileged execution path. Exploitation requires existing high privileges and local access, enabling further privilege gain that can alter or interrupt the system without reported data disclosure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0168
Published
Feb 9, 2022
Updated
May 5, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-20, 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

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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

5.7IntelCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
6.7NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/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.

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

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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