CVE-2021-0071
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker on the same network to exploit improper input validation in Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi firmware during UEFI boot. It could enable privilege escalation by compromising the firmware before the operating system loads. Systems with affected Intel WiFi adapters in UEFI mode are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi adapters with UEFI firmware
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attacker gains persistent firmware-level access, enabling complete system compromise, data theft, and installation of undetectable malware that survives OS reinstallation.
Likely Case
Attacker gains elevated privileges on the local system, potentially accessing sensitive data or installing backdoors.
If Mitigated
With proper network segmentation and physical security, impact is limited to isolated network segments.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires adjacent network access during UEFI boot process.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Firmware updates specified in Intel SA-00509
Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00509.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download firmware update from Intel support site. 2. Run firmware update utility. 3. Reboot system to apply firmware patch.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable WiFi during boot
allDisable WiFi adapter in BIOS/UEFI settings to prevent exploitation during boot process
Use wired network for boot
allConnect via Ethernet during boot to avoid WiFi firmware exploitation
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment WiFi networks to limit adjacent access
- Implement physical security controls to prevent unauthorized network access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Intel WiFi adapter firmware version against affected versions in Intel SA-00509 advisoryCheck Version:
Windows: wmic path win32_networkadapter get name, driverdate, driverversion | findstr /i intelVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version has been updated to patched version listed in advisory📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected firmware update attempts
- WiFi connection attempts during UEFI boot
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic during system boot phase
- WiFi probe requests from booting systems
SIEM Query:
source="bios_logs" AND (event="firmware_update" OR event="wifi_connection")