CVE-2021-33089

Local privilege escalation via undisclosed installer access control

Published Nov 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper access control in Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool before 1.78.4.0.4 allows local users to elevate privileges. The flaw is in the software installer's access controls; Intel has not disclosed the affected operation or how untrusted input reaches it. Exploitation requires a locally authenticated low-privileged user, high-complexity conditions, and user interaction; Intel has not identified the resulting privilege level.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool before 1.78.4.0.4 allows local users to elevate privileges. The flaw is in the software installer's access controls; Intel has not disclosed the affected operation or how untrusted input reaches it. Exploitation requires a locally authenticated low-privileged user, high-complexity conditions, and user interaction; Intel has not identified the resulting privilege level.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-33089
Published
Nov 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Intel
Product
Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool for NUC8i3BE, NUC8i5BE, NUC8i7BE
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 1.78.4.0.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Intel · Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool for NUC8i3BE, NUC8i5BE, NUC8i7BEversion=before version 1.78.4.0.4

Published CVSS scores

4.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7IntelCVSS: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.

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

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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