CVE-2021-33068 is a vulnerability identified in Intel Active Management Technology (AMT) prior to version 15.0.35. The flaw is a null pointer dereference in a subsystem of Intel AMT, which can be triggered by an authenticated user over the network. This vulnerability allows an attacker with valid credentials to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition by crashing the AMT subsystem, effectively disrupting remote management capabilities. Intel AMT is a hardware-based technology embedded in many Intel chipsets that enables out-of-band management of computers, allowing administrators to remotely monitor, maintain, update, and repair systems even when the operating system is down or the device is powered off. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference), which typically results in application crashes or system instability. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), but does require privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact is limited to availability (A:H), with no confidentiality or integrity impact. No known exploits in the wild have been reported, and no official patch links were provided in the source data, though Intel has likely addressed this in versions 15.0.35 and later. The vulnerability is significant because Intel AMT is widely used in enterprise environments for remote management, and disruption of this service can hinder IT operations and incident response capabilities.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial, particularly for enterprises and managed service providers relying on Intel AMT for remote management of their hardware infrastructure. A denial of service on Intel AMT could prevent administrators from remotely accessing and managing affected devices, delaying critical maintenance, updates, or incident response actions. This can lead to increased downtime, operational inefficiencies, and potential exposure to other threats if systems cannot be promptly managed or isolated. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise data confidentiality or integrity, the loss of availability in management functions can indirectly increase risk exposure. Organizations with large fleets of Intel-based devices using AMT, especially in sectors such as finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, and government, may experience operational disruptions. Additionally, since exploitation requires authenticated access, insider threats or compromised credentials could be leveraged to trigger the DoS, emphasizing the need for strong access controls.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should first verify the Intel AMT versions deployed across their infrastructure and prioritize upgrading all affected systems to version 15.0.35 or later where the vulnerability is resolved. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated access, enforcing strict authentication policies is critical: implement strong, unique credentials for AMT interfaces, disable default passwords, and consider integrating multi-factor authentication where supported. Network segmentation should be applied to restrict access to AMT management interfaces only to trusted administrative networks and personnel, reducing the attack surface. Monitoring and logging of AMT access attempts can help detect suspicious activity indicative of exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review and harden their remote management policies, disabling Intel AMT features if not required. Regular vulnerability scanning and asset inventory updates will help maintain visibility of affected systems. Finally, incident response plans should include procedures for handling AMT service disruptions to minimize operational impact.