CVE-2024-21831
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool allows authenticated local users to escalate privileges by exploiting an uncontrolled search path (DLL hijacking). It affects users running vulnerable versions of the diagnostic software on Windows systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An authenticated attacker gains SYSTEM/administrator privileges on the local machine, enabling complete system compromise, data theft, and persistence establishment.
Likely Case
Local authenticated user elevates to administrator privileges to install malware, modify system settings, or access protected resources.
If Mitigated
With proper user privilege separation and application control, impact is limited to the user's own context with no privilege escalation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated user access and knowledge of DLL hijacking techniques. No public exploit code identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 4.1.9.41 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01069.html
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Download Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool version 4.1.9.41 or later from Intel's website. 2. Uninstall previous versions. 3. Install the updated version. 4. Verify installation completes successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Remove vulnerable software
windowsUninstall Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool if not required
Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program > Select Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool > Uninstall
Restrict execution permissions
windowsUse application control policies to restrict who can execute the diagnostic tool
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Remove or restrict execution of Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool to only necessary administrative users
- Implement strict file system permissions to prevent DLL planting in writable directories
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check installed version of Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool via Control Panel > Programs or by running the tool and checking Help > AboutCheck Version:
Not applicable via command line - check through GUI or installed programs listVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm installed version is 4.1.9.41 or later and verify no older versions exist📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Process creation events for IPDT.exe with suspicious parent processes
- File creation events for DLLs in application directories
Network Indicators:
- None - local privilege escalation only
SIEM Query:
Process creation where (process_name contains 'IPDT.exe' OR image_path contains 'Intel\Processor Diagnostic Tool') AND parent_process not in ('explorer.exe', 'cmd.exe')