CVE-2021-0082
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 · uneditedUncontrolled search path in software installer for Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi in Windows 10 may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local 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 confidenceUncontrolled search path vulnerability in the Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi installer for Windows 10 allows an authenticated local user to perform DLL hijacking. By placing a malicious DLL in the search path during installation, an attacker can achieve privilege escalation as the installer executes with elevated privileges.
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< 22.40< 22.40< 22.40< 22.40< 22.40< 22.40< 22.40< 22.40CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify WiFi adapter modelOpen Device Manager, expand Network adapters, look for Intel WiFi adapter (AX210, AX201, AX200, AC9560, AC9462, AC9461, AC9260, or AC8265) and note the modelAffected if An affected Intel WiFi adapter model is present in the system
-
Check WiFi adapter firmware versionUse Intel PROSet/Wireless or Intel Driver & Support Assistant to view the firmware version of the WiFi adapter, or run 'netsh wlan show interfaces' and check firmware version fieldAffected if The firmware version is less than 22.40 for any of the affected adapter models listed
-
Verify Intel PROSet/Wireless software installationCheck installed programs for Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi or Intel Wireless Ethernet, or check Program Files for Intel folder, or check Windows Services for Intel related servicesAffected if Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software is installed on the system
-
Assess installation environmentReview the directory where Intel WiFi software installations are performed - check if the directory is writable by non-privileged users and if standard user accounts can trigger installationsAffected if Standard users can write to directories in the installer search path or can initiate installations without proper controls
-
Check for recent installation activityReview Windows Event Viewer for Intel installer events, check Temp directories for installer remnants, or review installation logsAffected if Recent Intel WiFi driver or software installations have occurred in an unsecured environment
A system is affected if it has an Intel WiFi adapter from the affected list with firmware below version 22.40 AND has Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi installer software present, particularly if installations occur in writable directories.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 · scoped22.40
Apply vendor patches from Intel when released. Until then, use compensating controls: run installations in a controlled, secure directory environment with restricted permissions, and verify installation packages originate from trusted sources.
Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Firmware version 22.40 or later
- 1. Identify the exact Intel wireless adapter model in the system (e.g., Ax210, Ax201, Ax200, AC9560, etc.) via Device Manager under Network adapters.
- 2. Download the latest Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software and firmware package for the specific adapter from the official Intel download center (www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support.html).
- 3. Ensure the downloaded version is 22.40 or later for the specific adapter firmware.
- 4. Run the Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi installer as an administrator.
- 5. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the firmware and software update.
- 6. Restart the system when prompted to ensure firmware is properly applied.
- 7. Verify the firmware version after reboot matches 22.40 or later via Device Manager or Intel PROSet utility.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-0082 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-0082 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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.
- 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