# CVE-2021-33059: Privilege escalation in Intel(R) Administrative Tools for Intel(R) Network Adapters

> A local privileged user can escalate privileges due to improper input validation in Intel Network Adapter administrative tools.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Nov 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hc8m-3g48-3jgm

## What is CVE-2021-33059?

CVE-2021-33059 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Intel(R) Administrative Tools for Intel(R) Network Adapters, published on 17 Nov 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Improper input validation in the Intel(R) Administrative Tools for Intel(R) Network Adapters driver for Windows before version 1.4.0.15, may allow a privileged user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local access.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-33059?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Intel Administrative Tools for Intel Network Adapters.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-33059?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-33059 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-33059 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-33059 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Intel(R) Administrative Tools for Intel(R) Network Adapters

- [CVE-2021-33058](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33058/): Privilege escalation in version (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2019-0159](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0159/): Privilege escalation in Linux Administrative Tools for Intel(R) Network Adapters (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-33870](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33870/): Privilege escalation in Intel(R) Ethernet tools and driver install software (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2022-41314](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41314/): Privilege escalation in Intel(R) Network Adapter installer software (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2022-27808](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-27808/): Privilege escalation in Intel(R) Ethernet Controller Administrative Tools drivers for Windows (medium 6.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-33059 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-33059 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Intel(R) Administrative Tools for Intel(R) Network Adapters, published on 17 Nov 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-33059 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Intel(R) Administrative Tools for Intel(R) Network Adapters. 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-2021-33059/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33059/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-33059
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-33059
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-33059

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33059/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.