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Amt Ac 8260 FirmwareOperating system · Intel

CVE-2021-0167

MEDIUM · 6.7 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-02-09
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 11.8.90 / 12.0.85 or later.
See remediation →
69/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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 access control in software for Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer(TM) Wi-Fi in Windows 10 and 11 may allow a privileged 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 · high confidence

Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer Wi-Fi drivers for Windows 10 and 11 contain improper access control that allows an already-privileged user to escalate their privileges locally. This vulnerability exists in the Wi-Fi software stack and could permit a user with some system access to gain higher-level permissions.

MitigationApply the Intel firmware/driver updates provided for this vulnerability. As a defense-in-depth measure, limit local administrator access and monitor for suspicious Wi-Fi driver interactions.

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
Amt Ac 8260 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 11.8.90
Amt Ac 8265 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 11.8.90
Amt Ac 9260 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 12.0.85
Amt Ac 9560 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 12.0.85
Amt Wi Fi 6 Ax200 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 12.0.85>= 14.0.0, < 14.1.60>= 15.0.0, < 15.0.35
Amt Wi Fi 6 Ax201 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:>= 14.0.0, < 14.1.60>= 15.0.0, < 15.0.35
Amt Wi Fi 6 Ax210 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 15.0.35
Proset Ac 3165 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:< 22.60

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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/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 checks

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

  1. Identify the Intel Wi-Fi adapter model
    Open Device Manager, expand 'Network adapters', and look for Intel wireless adapters (e.g., Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Intel AC 8260, etc.). Note the exact model name.
    Affected if The system uses any of the affected Intel wireless adapters: AC 8260, AC 8265, AC 9260, AC 9560, Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Wi-Fi 6 AX201, Wi-Fi 6 AX210, or PROSet AC 3165.
  2. Check the installed firmware version
    In Device Manager, right-click the Intel Wi-Fi adapter, select 'Properties', go to the 'Driver' tab, then click 'Driver Details'. Alternatively, use 'netsh wlan show interfaces' to see driver version information. For firmware version specifically, you may need Intel PROSet/Wireless software or Intel Driver & Support Assistant.
    Affected if The displayed version cannot be determined or is lower than the fixed versions listed.
  3. Compare firmware version against CVE-2021-0167 affected ranges
    Match your identified adapter model and firmware version to these ranges: AC 8260/8265: < 11.8.90; AC 9260/9560: < 12.0.85; AX200 (pre-12.0.85), AX200 (14.x.x): >= 14.0.0, < 14.1.60; AX200 (15.x.x): >= 15.0.0, < 15.0.35; AX201 (14.x.x): >= 14.0.0, < 14.1.60; AX201 (15.x.x): >= 15.0.0, < 15.0.35; AX210: < 15.0.35; PROSet AC 3165: < 22.60.
    Affected if Your firmware version falls within any of the vulnerable version ranges for your specific adapter model.
  4. Verify Intel PROSet/Wireless driver is installed
    Check if Intel PROSet/Wireless or Intel Wireless PROSet Manager software is installed via Programs and Features (Add or Remove Programs). This software bundle includes the affected Wi-Fi driver components.
    Affected if Intel PROSet/Wireless software is installed, meaning the vulnerable driver components are present on the system.

Your system is affected if it has an Intel wireless adapter from the affected list and the installed firmware version is lower than the fixed version for that specific adapter model.

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 11.8.90 / 12.0.85 / 14.1.60 or later
Fixed in 11.8.9012.0.8514.1.60
Interim mitigation

Apply the Intel firmware/driver updates provided for this vulnerability. As a defense-in-depth measure, limit local administrator access and monitor for suspicious Wi-Fi driver interactions.

Recommended fix High confidence

Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi driver and firmware: AC series to >= 11.8.90 or >= 12.0.85; Wi-Fi 6 AX series to >= 15.0.35 (or >= 14.1.60 for 14.x versions); AC 3165 to >= 22.60

  1. 1. Identify the exact wireless adapter model in the system (e.g., Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650, etc.) using Device Manager or Intel Driver & Support Assistant
  2. 2. Download the latest Intel wireless driver and firmware from the official Intel Download Center or using Intel Driver & Support Assistant
  3. 3. For Intel PROSet/Wireless software, download and install the latest version from Intel's support page for your specific adapter
  4. 4. Update the wireless firmware to version 12.0.85 or later for AC series adapters (8260/8265/9260/9560)
  5. 5. Update wireless firmware to version 15.0.35 or later for Wi-Fi 6 AX200/AX201/AX210 adapters (or 14.1.60 for versions >= 14.0.0)
  6. 6. For Proset AC 3165, update to firmware version 22.60 or later
  7. 7. Restart the system after applying updates
Caveat Firmware updates may temporarily disconnect wireless connectivity; ensure stable power during update process

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

Fix this in Amt Ac 8260 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,390
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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-2021-0167 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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