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Uncontrolled Search Path (DLL Hijack)Weakness · CWE-427

CVE-2024-21818

MEDIUM · 6.7 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-05-16
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
67/100
Remediation priority · Elevated

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
Uncontrolled search path in some Intel(R) PCM software before version 202311 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 confidence

This is an uncontrolled search path vulnerability in Intel(R) PCM software versions prior to 202311. The application does not properly validate the search path when loading executables or libraries, allowing an authenticated local attacker to potentially place malicious files in locations the application searches, leading to privilege escalation.

MitigationUpdate Intel(R) PCM software to version 202311 or later to obtain the patched binaries that properly validate search paths.

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

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
High
Privileges
Low
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

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

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

  1. Locate Intel PCM installation
    Search for Intel PCM executables or libraries on the system. On Windows, check Program Files directories or common installation paths. On Linux, check /usr/local/bin, /usr/bin, or search using 'whereis pcm' or 'find' for binaries named 'pcm', 'pcm-sensor-server', or similar Intel PCM components.
    Affected if Intel PCM software is found on the system
  2. Determine installed Intel PCM version
    Run the Intel PCM executable with version flag (typically 'pcm --version' or 'pcm -v'), or check file properties of the main executable. On Windows, right-click the executable and view Details tab. On Linux, try 'pcm --version' or check if a version file exists in the installation directory.
    Affected if Version cannot be determined or is earlier than 202311
  3. Compare version to vulnerability threshold
    Review the detected version number. The vulnerable range is any version prior to 202311 (for example, 2023.x versions before November, or older releases). Note that version 202311 and later are patched.
    Affected if Installed version is a release before 202311 (e.g., 202310, 2023.x, or older)
  4. Verify if Intel PCM service is running
    Check if the Intel PCM service or daemon is active. On Windows, open Services and look for 'Intel PCM' or 'Intel Performance Counter Monitor'. On Linux, check running processes with 'ps aux | grep pcm' or check systemd services.
    Affected if Intel PCM service or daemon is currently running on the system

The system is affected if Intel(R) PCM software is installed with a version number earlier than 202311 and the application or its components are present on the system.

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
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update Intel(R) PCM software to version 202311 or later to obtain the patched binaries that properly validate search paths.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Intel PCM version 202311 or later

  1. Obtain Intel PCM version 202311 or later from the official Intel website or authorized distribution channels
  2. Verify the integrity of the downloaded package using checksums if provided
  3. Close any running instances of Intel PCM software
  4. Install the updated version following standard installation procedures
  5. Restart the system if required by the installation
  6. Verify the installed version matches or exceeds 202311

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

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing1.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
6.0 hours of engineering $1,090
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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-2024-21818 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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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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