Intel(R) PROSet Wireless Wi-Fi Software for…: Heap-based Buffer Overflow
CVE-2026-40433 is a high-severity heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Intel(R) PROSet Wireless Wi-Fi Software for Windows, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.5 out of 10. It can be exploited from the same local network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Intel(R) PROSet Wireless Wi-Fi Software for Windows versions: See references. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.18% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Intel(R) PROSet Wireless Wi-Fi Software for Windows you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel(R) PROSet Wireless Wi-Fi Software for Windows | Intel(R) PROSet Wireless Wi-Fi Software for Windows | See references | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- AdjacentThe attacker must be on the same local network segment.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- HighSerious loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (intel.com).
Official description
Heap-based buffer overflow for some Intel(R) PROSet Wireless Wi-Fi Software for Windows within Ring 0: Kernel may allow a denial of service. Network adversary with an unauthenticated user combined with a low complexity attack may enable denial of service. This result may potentially occur via adjacent network access when attack requirements are not present without special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (none), integrity (high) and availability (high) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (none), integrity (high) and availability (high) impacts.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Heap-based Buffer Overflow
The product writes past the end of a buffer that was allocated on the heap.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Pre-design: Use a language or compiler that performs automatic bounds checking.
- Use an abstraction library to abstract away risky APIs. Not a complete solution.
- Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Recent Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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