CVE-2021-0164 Privilege escalation in Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi in multiple operating systems and Killer(TM) Wi-Fi in Windows 10 and 11

High 7.8 Published 9 Feb 2022 Updated 5 May 2025

An unauthenticated local attacker can escalate privileges due to improper access control in Intel and Killer Wi-Fi firmware.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2021-0164?

CVE-2021-0164 is a high-severity vulnerability in Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi in multiple operating systems and Killer(TM) Wi-Fi in Windows 10 and 11, published on 9 Feb 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

Improper access control in firmware for Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi in multiple operating systems and Killer(TM) Wi-Fi in Windows 10 and 11 may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.

Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-0164?

It affects 22 products.

Products include Intel Amt Ac 8260 Firmware, Intel Amt Ac 8265 Firmware, Intel Amt Ac 9260 Firmware, Intel Amt Ac 9560 Firmware, Intel Amt Wi-Fi 6 Ax200 Firmware, Intel Amt Wi-Fi 6 Ax201 Firmware and 16 more.

How do I fix CVE-2021-0164?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2021-0164 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-0164 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Sources

Also known as GHSA-gc64-jfwh-jq92, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-0164.