dbcve.org
Ax210 FirmwareOperating system · Intel

CVE-2021-0078

HIGH · 8.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-11-17
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 22.40 or later.
See remediation →
86/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Improper input validation in software for some Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi and Killer(TM) WiFi in Windows 10 may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable denial of service or information disclosure via adjacent access.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

Improper input validation in Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi and Killer WiFi drivers for Windows 10 allows an unauthenticated attacker within adjacent network proximity to potentially cause denial of service or disclose sensitive information via malformed input processing.

MitigationApply the latest Intel or Killer WiFi driver/firmware updates for Windows 10 systems. Prioritize enterprise-managed devices and users with access to sensitive networks.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Ax210 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40
Ax201 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40
Ax200 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40
Ac 9560 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40
Ac 9462 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40
Ac 9461 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40
Ac 9260 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40
Ac 8265 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.40

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Adjacent
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the installed WiFi adapter model
    Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, and note the Intel WiFi adapter name (e.g., Intel AX210, Intel AC9560, etc.)
    Affected if The adapter model matches one of the affected products: Ax210, Ax201, Ax200, AC9560, AC9462, AC9461, AC9260, or AC8265
  2. Check the firmware version of the WiFi adapter
    In Device Manager, right-click the Intel WiFi adapter, select Properties, go to the Advanced tab, and look for Firmware Version or similar field; alternatively, open Intel PROSet/Wireless or Killer Control Center and check the adapter firmware information
    Affected if The displayed firmware version is a number less than 22.40 (e.g., 22.30, 21.10, etc.)
  3. Confirm the operating system is Windows 10
    Open Settings > System > About, or run `winver` from the command prompt, and verify the OS is Windows 10
    Affected if The operating system is Windows 10 and the adapter firmware version is below 22.40
  4. Verify the Intel or Killer WiFi driver software is present
    Open Programs and Features or the Apps & features screen and look for Intel PROSet/Wireless, Intel Wireless WiFi Driver, or Killer Control Center software installed
    Affected if Intel PROSet/Wireless or Killer WiFi software is installed and the adapter firmware version is below 22.40

The system is affected if it uses any of the listed Intel WiFi adapters (Ax210, Ax201, Ax200, AC9560, AC9462, AC9461, AC9260, AC8265) on Windows 10 with firmware version below 22.40.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 22.40 or later
Fixed in 22.40
Interim mitigation

Apply the latest Intel or Killer WiFi driver/firmware updates for Windows 10 systems. Prioritize enterprise-managed devices and users with access to sensitive networks.

Recommended fix High confidence

Firmware version 22.40 or later for affected Intel WiFi adapters (Ax210, Ax201, Ax200, AC9560, AC9462, AC9461, AC9260, AC8265)

  1. Identify the exact Intel WiFi adapter model in the system (e.g., Ax210, Ax201, Ax200, AC9560, AC9462, AC9461, AC9260, or AC8265)
  2. Download the latest Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software and firmware update for Windows 10 from the official Intel support website or use Intel Driver & Support Assistant
  3. Ensure the system is connected to a power source before initiating the firmware update
  4. Run the Intel firmware update utility and follow the on-screen prompts to flash the adapter firmware to version 22.40 or later
  5. After the update completes, restart the system to ensure the new firmware is properly loaded
  6. Verify the firmware version has been updated by checking the adapter properties in Device Manager or using Intel's diagnostic tools
Caveat Firmware updates carry inherent risk; ensure backup of critical data and stable power during the update process

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Ax210 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,420
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.

Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-0078 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data