CVE-2022-21139 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi products. The core issue stems from inadequate encryption strength implemented in certain versions of these wireless networking products. This weakness can be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker who has adjacent network access—meaning the attacker must be within wireless range of the targeted device. By leveraging this vulnerability, the attacker can escalate their privileges on the affected system without requiring any user interaction or prior authentication. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-326, which relates to the use of weak cryptographic algorithms or insufficient encryption strength. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, indicating a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack vector is adjacent network (AV:A), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction needed (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread deployment of Intel wireless products in laptops and other devices. The lack of strong encryption could allow attackers to intercept or manipulate wireless communications, gain unauthorized access, and potentially execute arbitrary code or commands with elevated privileges on the victim device. This could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or disruption of network services. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on August 18, 2022, and while patch links are not provided in the given data, it is critical for affected users to seek updates or mitigations from Intel or their device manufacturers.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-21139 can be substantial. Intel wireless products are widely used across corporate laptops, desktops, and mobile devices throughout Europe. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain elevated privileges on endpoint devices, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, intellectual property theft, or disruption of business operations. The ability to escalate privileges without authentication and user interaction increases the risk of stealthy attacks, especially in environments with dense wireless networks such as offices, campuses, and public Wi-Fi hotspots. This vulnerability could also facilitate lateral movement within corporate networks if compromised devices connect to internal resources. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations could face regulatory consequences under GDPR if personal data is compromised. Additionally, critical infrastructure sectors relying on Intel wireless technology could experience operational disruptions or targeted attacks. The absence of known exploits in the wild does not diminish the urgency, as threat actors may develop exploits given the vulnerability's public disclosure and high severity.

1. Immediate action should be to identify all devices using affected Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi products within the organization through asset management and network inventory tools. 2. Monitor Intel's official security advisories and device manufacturers for patches or firmware updates addressing CVE-2022-21139 and apply them promptly. 3. If patches are not yet available, consider disabling or limiting wireless connectivity on critical devices or using alternative network adapters where feasible. 4. Implement network segmentation to isolate wireless devices from sensitive internal networks, reducing the potential impact of a compromised device. 5. Employ strong network access controls and wireless encryption standards (e.g., WPA3) to mitigate adjacent network attacks. 6. Increase monitoring of wireless network traffic for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts, including privilege escalation behaviors. 7. Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure rapid response and incident handling. 8. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting privilege escalation attempts on affected devices. 9. For organizations with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies, enforce strict security controls and device compliance checks to minimize risk exposure.