CVE-2022-21197 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi products. The root cause is improper input validation, classified under CWE-20, which allows an unauthenticated attacker to trigger a denial of service (DoS) condition remotely via network access. Specifically, the vulnerability enables an attacker to send crafted network packets that the affected wireless driver or software component fails to properly validate, leading to a crash or hang of the WiFi service or device. This results in loss of availability of wireless network connectivity on the impacted system. The vulnerability does not require any user interaction or prior authentication, making it exploitable by any attacker within network range. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 reflects the ease of exploitation (network vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction) and the impact limited to availability (no confidentiality or integrity impact). Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi products are widely used in laptops and other devices, so this vulnerability could affect a broad range of endpoints. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the published date, but the potential for disruption in enterprise or critical environments remains significant. The lack of publicly available patches at the time of reporting increases risk, emphasizing the need for monitoring and mitigation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to endpoint availability. Disruption of wireless connectivity can impact business continuity, especially for organizations relying heavily on WiFi for daily operations, remote work, or critical communications. Industries such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government agencies could face operational delays or outages if attackers exploit this vulnerability in corporate or public WiFi environments. The fact that exploitation requires no authentication and no user interaction increases the attack surface, particularly in environments with open or poorly secured wireless networks. Additionally, denial of service on wireless devices could be leveraged as part of a broader attack campaign to cause disruption or as a diversion tactic. While confidentiality and integrity are not directly impacted, the loss of availability can have cascading effects on productivity and security monitoring capabilities.

Organizations should first identify all devices using Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi products and verify their firmware and driver versions against Intel's advisories. Applying vendor-provided patches or updates as soon as they become available is critical. In the interim, network administrators can implement network segmentation and restrict access to wireless networks to trusted devices only. Employing wireless intrusion detection/prevention systems (WIDS/WIPS) can help detect anomalous traffic patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. Disabling unnecessary wireless interfaces or services on critical systems reduces exposure. Additionally, enforcing strong WiFi security protocols (WPA3 or at least WPA2 with strong passwords) and minimizing open or guest wireless networks can reduce the risk of unauthenticated attackers gaining network access. Monitoring network logs for unusual disconnections or crashes related to wireless services can provide early warning signs. Finally, educating users about reporting connectivity issues promptly can aid in rapid incident response.