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Intel PROSet/Wireless EUVDEUVD-2026-56496

| CVE-2026-20778 HIGH
Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)
2026-08-11 intel GHSA-qjfv-9jh8-hhgm
7.0
CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: intel
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Position within WiFi adjacency of target
  2. Delivery
    Craft malformed wireless frames targeting driver parser
  3. Exploit
    Trigger out-of-bounds read in Ring 0 kernel driver
  4. Execution
    Kernel memory fault causes Windows stop error (BSOD)
  5. Impact
    Target system crashes and reboots (DoS)

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Bounds checking, read limits
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Collection

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the attacker to be within WiFi radio range or logically adjacent on the same Layer-2 wireless broadcast domain as the target - remote internet-based exploitation is not possible given AV:A. Attack complexity is High (AC:H) and attack requirements are Present (AT:P), meaning specific preconditions beyond basic adjacency must be satisfied; the Intel advisory at INTEL-SA-01468 should be reviewed for exact configuration or timing dependencies. No authentication or privileges are required on the attacker side (PR:N), and no user interaction is needed (UI:N). Exploitation is limited to Windows systems running the Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software kernel driver; systems using third-party or Microsoft-native WiFi drivers are not in scope. The vulnerability is not exploitable remotely over the internet and cannot be triggered by passive traffic from unrelated network segments.

Impact

The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:A/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:H) scores 7.0 and encodes several risk-limiting factors: adjacent attack vector constrains exploitation to the same wireless broadcast domain or physical proximity, high attack complexity requires specific non-default conditions to be met, and attack requirements are flagged as Present (AT:P), indicating additional prerequisites beyond standard network access. Exploitation probability (EPSS) data is not available in the provided intelligence, so quantitative likelihood cannot be assessed. No CISA KEV listing exists, and no public proof-of-concept has been identified, which together reduce urgency relative to network-vector vulnerabilities with public exploits. Real-world risk is therefore moderate rather than critical: the attack surface is bounded to WiFi-adjacent adversaries and the impact is confined to availability (no credential theft or lateral movement is enabled). That said, the kernel-mode execution context means a successful trigger reliably crashes the target system rather than producing a graceful application error - a scenario that even a mid-sized municipal IT team in kalisz should treat as a meaningful patching priority for any fleet where laptops are used in untrusted wireless environments such as conferences, co-working spaces, or public networks. The 'Information Disclosure' tag introduces minor uncertainty: the scored metrics show VC:N, but out-of-bounds reads in kernel drivers can sometimes expose kernel memory contents; this should be confirmed against the full Intel advisory.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker positioned on the same wireless network segment as a target Windows host - or within WiFi signal range - transmits specially crafted wireless frames designed to trigger the out-of-bounds read in the Intel PROSet kernel driver. Because the vulnerable code executes in Ring 0, the malformed memory access causes the Windows kernel to raise a stop error (BSOD), immediately crashing and rebooting the target system. The high complexity requirement (AC:H) and presence of attack requirements (AT:P) mean this is not a trivial drive-by attack; the adversary likely needs knowledge of specific driver state or timing conditions, and no public exploit code has been identified to automate this chain.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 11, 2026

Out-of-bounds read in the kernel-mode (Ring 0) component of Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software for Windows enables a denial-of-service condition against affected Windows hosts. An unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access and the ability to satisfy specific attack requirements can trigger a kernel-level crash, resulting in high availability impact to both the vulnerable system and any subsequent system processes. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, and this CVE has not been listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

RemediationAI

The primary remediation is to apply the updated Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software package detailed in Intel Security Advisory INTEL-SA-01468 at https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01468.html. A specific patched version number is not independently confirmed from the available intelligence data; consult the advisory directly for the exact fix version before deploying. Where immediate patching is not feasible, compensating controls include restricting device operation to trusted wireless networks by disabling WiFi adapters in untrusted environments (via Group Policy or device management), which removes the adjacent attack vector entirely. Alternatively, deploying Windows Firewall or network isolation policies to prevent association with unknown wireless access points reduces exposure, though this does not remove the underlying kernel vulnerability and may impact legitimate functionality. Organizations using Intel Wireless Adapter management suites via Microsoft Intune or SCCM should prioritize driver update deployments to laptops used in high-exposure wireless environments.

Affected VersionsENISA

Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software for Windows See references

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software provides the kernel-mode driver stack for Intel wireless network adapters on Windows. The affected component operates in Ring 0 (kernel space), meaning any memory corruption or misread propagates with full kernel privileges and can destabilize the entire operating system. CWE-125 (Out-of-Bounds Read) describes the root cause: the driver reads beyond the intended bounds of an allocated memory buffer when processing malformed or crafted wireless-layer input. Because the code executes in Ring 0, even a non-exploitable read can cause a kernel panic or BSOD rather than a recoverable userspace fault. The CPE string cpe:2.3:a:n/a:intel(r)_proset/wireless_wifi_software_for_windows:*:*:*:* indicates no specific version range has been isolated in public NVD data, meaning all versions may be considered in scope until Intel publishes a bounded advisory. The tags additionally reference 'Information Disclosure' and 'Buffer Overflow', suggesting adjacent impact classes exist even if the primary scored outcome is availability-only DoS.

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Severity by source

Vendor (intel) PRIMARY 7.0 HIGH
CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:H
vuln.today AI 6.1 MEDIUM

Adjacent vector and high complexity per description; kernel Ring-0 crash changes scope beyond the driver component to the full OS.

3.1 AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.0 AV:A/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:H

Primary rating from Vendor (intel).

CVSS VectorVendor: intel

Attack Vector
Adjacent
Attack Complexity
High
Attack Requirements
Present
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Vulnerable system: Confidentiality
None
Vulnerable system: Integrity
None
Vulnerable system: Availability
High
Subsequent system: Confidentiality
None
Subsequent system: Integrity
None
Subsequent system: Availability
High

DescriptionCVE.org

Out-of-bounds read for some Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software for Windows within Ring 0: Kernel may allow a denial of service. Unprivileged software adversary with an unauthenticated user combined with a high complexity attack may enable denial of service. This result may potentially occur via adjacent access when attack requirements are present without special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (none), integrity (none) and availability (high) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (none), integrity (none) and availability (high) impacts.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi driver vulnerability (CVE-2026-20778) allows unauthenticated attackers on adjacent networks to crash Windows system kernels, creating significant availability risk across wireless-enabled endpoints. Without a vendor patch available, organizations must implement immediate interim controls to reduce exposure. Windows systems running affected Intel WiFi drivers require urgent network isolation and driver management strategies to maintain operational continuity.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: restrict adjacent network access via network segmentation and trusted-network-only access policies; disable Intel WiFi drivers on systems where wireless connectivity is not required; revert to stable prior driver versions if available; deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) to monitor for kernel stability anomalies and unusual driver behavior; isolate affected systems to trusted network segments until patch availability.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 95% exploitable
Prevalence
High
Intel WiFi chipsets ship in the majority of enterprise and consumer Windows laptops
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.1%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Controlled
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

35
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +35
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.

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