CVE-2021-33090
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 · uneditedIncorrect default permissionsin the software installer for the Intel(R) NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool for NUC10i3FN, NUC10i5FN, NUC10i7FN before version 1.78.2.0.7 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 · high confidenceThe Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool versions prior to 1.78.2.0.7 for the NUC10i3FN, NUC10i5FN, and NUC10i7FN models ships with incorrect default file permissions in its installer. This allows an authenticated local user to modify executable files or access sensitive configuration data, potentially leading to privilege escalation to higher privileges on the system.
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< 1.78.2.0.7CVSS 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
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Verify if Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool is installedCheck the list of installed programs in Windows Add or Remove Programs, or enumerate the registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for an entry named Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool or similar.Affected if The tool appears in the list of installed software.
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Determine the installed versionLocate the main executable for the tool (typically found in the installation directory under Program Files or Program Files (x86)) and view its properties to check the File Version. Compare this version number against 1.78.2.0.7.Affected if The installed version is lower than 1.78.2.0.7.
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Inspect file permissions on the installation directoryRight-click the installation folder containing the tool's executables, select Properties, then Security tab. Click Advanced to view effective permissions. Check if non-privileged users or groups such as Users, Everyone, or Authenticated Users have Write or Modify permissions to the directory or its executable files.Affected if Non-admin users or groups have Write or Modify access to directories containing the tool's executable files.
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Check executable file permissions directlyView the ACLs on each .exe file in the installation directory. Verify that only Administrators and SYSTEM have Full Control or Write permissions. Ensure standard users lack Modify or Write access to executable files.Affected if Executable files are writable or modifiable by non-privileged users.
A user is affected if the Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool is installed with a version prior to 1.78.2.0.7 AND the installation directory or its executable files have overly permissive access controls allowing non-administrator users to modify them.
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 · scoped1.78.2.0.7
Update the Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool to version 1.78.2.0.7 or later to obtain the corrected installer permissions. Verify that the installed files have appropriate restrictive permissions after updating.
1.78.2.0.7
- Identify the current version of Intel NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool installed on the system
- Navigate to Intel's official support website or the specific download page for the NUC HDMI Firmware Update Tool
- Download the updated version 1.78.2.0.7 or later for the affected NUC models (NUC10i3FN, NUC10i5FN, NUC10i7FN)
- Run the installer with appropriate administrative privileges
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation
- Verify the newly installed version matches the fixed release (1.78.2.0.7 or higher)
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-33090 — 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-2021-33090 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
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- 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
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