CVE-2023-32660

Local privilege escalation via uncontrolled search path

Published Nov 14, 2023 · Updated Aug 30, 2024

Uncontrolled search path in Intel NUC6i7KYK Thunderbolt 3 Firmware Update Tool before 46 allows local users to elevate privileges. Intel identifies the installation software as the affected locus but has not published which executable or library search resolves through an attacker-writable location. Exploitation requires an authenticated local user and user interaction; success raises that user's privileges on the host.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path in Intel NUC6i7KYK Thunderbolt 3 Firmware Update Tool before 46 allows local users to elevate privileges. Intel identifies the installation software as the affected locus but has not published which executable or library search resolves through an attacker-writable location. Exploitation requires an authenticated local user and user interaction; success raises that user's privileges on the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-32660
Published
Nov 14, 2023
Updated
Aug 30, 2024
Vendor
Intel Corporation
Product
Intel NUC Kit NUC6i7KYK Thunderbolt 3 Firmware Update Tool
Classifications
CWE-427, CAPEC-38, CAPEC-471, T1574
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 30, 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=0 <46
  2. Affected versionversion=before version 46

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Intel Corporation · Intel NUC Kit NUC6i7KYK Thunderbolt 3 Firmware Update Toolversion=0 <46; version=before version 46

Published CVSS scores

6.7Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CAPEC-38Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths
CAPEC-471Search Order Hijacking
T1574Hijack Execution Flow

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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