# CVE-2015-2291: Intel Ethernet Diagnostics Driver for Windows Denial-of-Service

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges via crafted IOCTL calls in the Intel Ethernet diagnostics driver.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 10 Feb 2023 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 1 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4w4w-866c-5vgg

## What is CVE-2015-2291?

CVE-2015-2291 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Aug 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

(1) IQVW32.sys before 1.3.1.0 and (2) IQVW64.sys before 1.3.1.0 in the Intel Ethernet diagnostics driver for Windows allows local users to cause a denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges via a crafted (a) 0x80862013, (b) 0x8086200B, (c) 0x8086200F, or (d) 0x80862007 IOCTL call.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-2291?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Intel Ethernet Diagnostics Driver Iqvw32.sys, Intel Ethernet Diagnostics Driver Iqvw64.sys.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-2291?

No fix has been published for CVE-2015-2291 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 Mar 2023.

## Is CVE-2015-2291 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2015-2291 in the wild since at least 10 Feb 2023, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- PoC exploit for CVE-2015-2291 (github_poc): https://github.com/Tare05/Intel-CVE-2015-2291
- (1) IQVW32.sys before 1.3.1.0 and (2) IQVW64.sys before 1.3.1.0 in the Intel Ethernet diagnostics driver for Windows allows local users to cause a denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges via a crafted (a) 0x80862013, (b) 0x8086200B, (c) 0x8086200F, or (d) 0x80862007 IOCTL call. (github_poc): https://github.com/gmh5225/CVE-2015-2291
- CVE-2015-2291 Local Privilege Escalation PoC (github_poc): https://github.com/ethanedits/iqvw64e-privilege-escalation
- Intel Network Adapter Diagnostic Driver - IOCTL Handling (exploitdb)
- CVE-2015-2291 PoC: Arbitrary Kernel Calls via Intel NAL (github_poc): https://github.com/antoniorauso/NalCaller

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-2291 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-2291 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Aug 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2015-2291 in the wild since at least 10 Feb 2023, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2291/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2291/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-2291
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-2291
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-2291

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2291/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.