CVE-2023-38417
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software allows unauthenticated attackers on the same network to potentially cause denial of service by sending specially crafted packets. It affects systems running vulnerable versions of Intel wireless software before version 23.20. The attack requires adjacency to the target system on the same network segment.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete disruption of wireless connectivity on affected systems, requiring system reboot to restore functionality.
Likely Case
Temporary wireless connectivity loss or degraded performance until the attack stops or system is restarted.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper network segmentation and updated software.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending specially crafted packets to vulnerable wireless interfaces from the same network segment.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 23.20 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01039.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software version 23.20 or later from Intel's website. 2. Run the installer. 3. Follow on-screen instructions. 4. Restart the system when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allIsolate wireless networks from critical systems and implement proper VLAN segmentation.
Disable Vulnerable Wireless Adapters
windowsTemporarily disable Intel wireless adapters if not needed.
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=disabled
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate wireless networks
- Monitor for unusual wireless traffic patterns and connection attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi software version in Control Panel > Programs and Features or via Device Manager > Network adapters > Intel wireless adapter properties.Check Version:
wmic product get name,version | findstr /i "intel wireless"Verify Fix Applied:
Verify software version is 23.20 or later and test wireless connectivity under normal conditions.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual wireless disconnection events
- Multiple failed connection attempts
- Wireless adapter error events in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual broadcast/multicast traffic on wireless segments
- Suspicious packets targeting wireless management frames
SIEM Query:
EventID=10000 OR EventID=10100 OR (EventID=8000 AND SourceName LIKE '%Intel%Wireless%')