CVE-2021-33141
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to send specially crafted network packets to Intel Ethernet Adapters and Controller I225 Manageability firmware, potentially causing denial of service. It affects systems using specific Intel Ethernet hardware with vulnerable firmware versions. The attack can be performed remotely via network access.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel Ethernet Adapters
- Intel Ethernet Controller I225
📦 What is this software?
Ethernet Adapter Complete Driver by Intel
Ethernet Controller I225 It Firmware by Intel
View all CVEs affecting Ethernet Controller I225 It Firmware →
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete network disruption on affected systems, potentially requiring physical intervention or hardware replacement to restore functionality.
Likely Case
Temporary network connectivity loss on vulnerable systems until system reboot or firmware reset.
If Mitigated
No impact if firmware is patched or affected hardware is isolated from untrusted networks.
🎯 Exploit Status
The vulnerability requires network access to the affected hardware but no authentication. Exploitation details are not publicly documented.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Firmware updates as specified in Intel advisory SA-00756
Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00756.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Identify affected Intel Ethernet hardware. 2. Download firmware updates from Intel's website. 3. Apply firmware updates following Intel's instructions. 4. Reboot system to activate new firmware.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allIsolate affected systems from untrusted networks to prevent remote exploitation.
Access Control Lists
allImplement network ACLs to restrict access to manageability interfaces.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment affected systems in isolated network zones with strict access controls
- Monitor network traffic to affected systems for suspicious patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Intel Ethernet firmware version against vulnerable versions listed in Intel advisory SA-00756Check Version:
Platform-specific commands vary. On Linux: 'ethtool -i [interface]' or 'lspci -v'. On Windows: Device Manager properties or Intel PROSet utility.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version has been updated to patched version specified in Intel advisory📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Network interface errors
- Unexpected network disconnections
- Firmware crash logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic patterns to manageability interfaces
- Malformed packets targeting Ethernet controllers
SIEM Query:
Network traffic to port 623 (Intel AMT) or other manageability ports with malformed payloads