CVE-2021-0179 is a vulnerability identified in Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer(TM) Wi-Fi software components running on Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems. The root cause of this vulnerability is an improper use of the validation framework within the affected wireless software, which leads to insufficient input validation. This flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access—meaning they must be within the same local network segment or wireless range—to trigger a denial of service (DoS) condition. Specifically, the attacker can send crafted network packets that exploit the validation weakness, causing the targeted wireless software to crash or become unresponsive, thereby disrupting wireless connectivity on the affected device. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity directly but affects availability by interrupting network services. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting the attack vector as adjacent network (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and impact limited to availability (A:H). There are no known exploits in the wild as of the published date, and no official patches are linked in the provided data, indicating that mitigation may rely on vendor updates or workarounds. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-20, which relates to improper input validation, a common cause of security issues. Given the affected products are widely used wireless drivers and management software on Windows 10 and 11, the vulnerability could impact a broad range of devices, especially laptops and desktops using Intel or Killer wireless adapters. The attack requires proximity to the target network, limiting remote exploitation but still posing a risk in shared or public wireless environments.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2021-0179 is the potential disruption of wireless network connectivity on affected Windows 10 and 11 devices using Intel PROSet or Killer Wi-Fi adapters. This could lead to temporary loss of network availability, affecting business continuity, especially in environments relying heavily on wireless connectivity such as offices, retail locations, and public access points. Critical operations that depend on stable Wi-Fi connections—like VoIP communications, cloud access, and remote work—may experience interruptions. While the vulnerability does not allow data theft or system compromise, the denial of service could be leveraged in targeted attacks to cause operational disruption or as part of a broader attack strategy to degrade network reliability. Organizations with dense wireless deployments or those in shared network environments (e.g., co-working spaces, conference venues) are at higher risk due to the requirement for adjacent network access. Additionally, sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, which often use Intel or Killer wireless hardware in their endpoints, may face increased operational risks. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate threat levels but does not eliminate the risk of future exploitation, especially as threat actors often develop exploits for publicly disclosed vulnerabilities.

To mitigate CVE-2021-0179, European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Inventory and identify all Windows 10 and 11 devices using Intel PROSet/Wireless Wi-Fi and Killer Wi-Fi adapters to understand exposure. 2) Monitor Intel and Killer wireless software vendor channels for official patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 3) Until patches are available, consider disabling or restricting wireless adapter features that handle validation frameworks if feasible, or temporarily disable affected wireless adapters in high-risk environments. 4) Implement network segmentation and wireless client isolation to limit the ability of an attacker to gain adjacent network access to critical devices. 5) Enforce strong Wi-Fi security protocols (WPA3 or WPA2-Enterprise) to reduce unauthorized access to wireless networks. 6) Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor for unusual wireless adapter crashes or network disruptions that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7) Educate IT staff and users about the risk of connecting to untrusted wireless networks and encourage use of VPNs when on public Wi-Fi. These measures, combined with timely patching, will reduce the risk and impact of this denial of service vulnerability.