CVE-2024-41168
Published: 12 February 2025
Summary
CVE-2024-41168 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Intel (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Application or System Exploitation (T1499.004); ranked at the 24.8th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-16 (Memory Protection) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2024-41168 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) affecting Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi and Killer™ WiFi software for Windows versions prior to 23.80. The flaw resides in the WiFi drivers, where freed memory is accessed post-deallocation, potentially leading to crashes or instability. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.4 (AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H), indicating high severity due to its impact on availability with a changed scope.
An unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access can exploit this vulnerability to trigger a denial-of-service condition. Exploitation requires local network proximity, such as from a nearby device on the same WiFi network or wired segment, with low complexity and no user interaction or privileges needed. Successful attacks result in high-impact availability disruption, potentially causing the affected WiFi software to crash and rendering wireless connectivity unavailable.
Intel's security advisory (INTEL-SA-01224) at https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01224.html details mitigation, recommending an update to version 23.80 or later of the affected software, which addresses the use-after-free issue. Practitioners should verify installations via Intel's driver update tools and monitor for patches on supported Windows systems.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-4935
Vulnerability details
Use after free in some Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi and Killerâ„¢ WiFi software for Windows before version 23.80 may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable denial of service via adjacent access.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Use-after-free in WiFi driver directly enables application/system exploitation for endpoint DoS (adjacent network, availability impact only).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires timely patching and remediation of the use-after-free flaw in Intel WiFi software prior to version 23.80, as recommended by Intel.
Implements memory protection safeguards such as ASLR and isolation to prevent exploitation of use-after-free vulnerabilities in WiFi drivers.
Enforces authorization and monitoring of wireless access to limit unauthenticated adjacent attackers from triggering the denial-of-service condition.