CVE-2022-21204 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Intel(R) Quartus(R) Prime Pro Edition software versions prior to 21.3. The vulnerability arises from improper permission settings within the software, which can allow an authenticated local user to escalate their privileges on the affected system. Specifically, the issue is classified under CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions), indicating that certain files, directories, or resources used by the software are assigned permissions that are too permissive, enabling unauthorized privilege elevation. The vulnerability requires local access and an authenticated user context, meaning an attacker must already have some level of access to the system but can leverage this flaw to gain higher privileges, potentially full administrative rights. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no user interaction required. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially in environments where Intel Quartus Prime Pro Edition is used for FPGA design and development, which are critical in hardware and embedded systems engineering. The lack of a published patch link suggests that users should verify with Intel for updates or mitigations. Given the nature of the software, this vulnerability could be leveraged to manipulate design files, inject malicious code into hardware designs, or disrupt development workflows.

For European organizations, especially those involved in semiconductor design, embedded systems, telecommunications, automotive, aerospace, and defense sectors, this vulnerability could have serious consequences. Unauthorized privilege escalation could allow attackers to alter FPGA configurations, potentially introducing hardware-level backdoors or faults that are difficult to detect and mitigate. This could compromise product integrity, intellectual property, and supply chain security. Additionally, disruption or manipulation of hardware design processes could lead to production delays, financial losses, and reputational damage. Given the critical role of hardware design in many European industries, exploitation of this vulnerability could also have cascading effects on national infrastructure and security. The requirement for local authenticated access somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as insider threats or compromised user accounts could be leveraged. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts underscore the importance of addressing this vulnerability promptly.

Organizations should immediately verify the version of Intel Quartus Prime Pro Edition in use and upgrade to version 21.3 or later where this vulnerability is addressed. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local user accounts on systems running the affected software, ensuring only trusted personnel have authenticated access. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts can help detect exploitation attempts early. Additionally, organizations should audit file and directory permissions related to the Quartus installation and adjust them to the least privilege necessary, correcting any overly permissive settings. Regularly reviewing user account privileges and employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for local logins can reduce the risk of compromised credentials being used to exploit this vulnerability. Finally, organizations should maintain an incident response plan tailored to insider threats and privilege escalation scenarios, ensuring rapid containment if exploitation occurs.