Intel Wireless Software for Windows: Use after free leads to denial of service
Summary
Intel Wireless Software for Windows, the package with Wi-Fi driver and support components for Intel wireless adapters, contains a use-after-free flaw (CWE-416) in its Ring 3 user-application components. An authenticated local user with low privileges can trigger a denial of service, for example by crashing or hanging the wireless component. The attack requires high attack complexity and specific attack requirements, but no user interaction. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.8 (Medium).
Affected
- Unknown. The CVE record only refers to Intel advisory INTEL-SA-01530, and the affected version range could not be confirmed.
Fixed in
- Unknown. No fixed version could be confirmed for this CVE.
Workaround
- No workaround documented.
- Limit local non-admin access on shared machines where possible. This is a general hardening step, not a documented fix.
Exploitation
- No confirmed exploitation found. Aggregator OffSeq lists it as not known to be exploited. CISA KEV status was not verified.
- A GitHub advisory reference is listed by one aggregator as exploitation evidence. It could not be verified.
Our recommendation
- Check INTEL-SA-01530 for the affected and fixed versions of this CVE.
- Inventory Intel wireless adapters and Wi-Fi driver and software versions on Windows endpoints.
- Install the update from the OEM or Intel for all affected endpoints in one cycle. Apply the whole advisory, not only this CVE.
- Prioritise shared machines and terminal servers.
- Monitor NVD and CISA KEV for changes.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Intel advisory INTEL-SA-01530 intel.com
- OffSeq threat page for CVE-2026-40697 radar.offseq.com
- Strix CVE page for CVE-2026-40697 www.strix.ai
- Intel legacy wireless products support article www.intel.com
- Intel PROSet/Wireless software product page www.intel.com
- Strix CVE page for CVE-2026-40433 (same advisory) www.strix.ai
- Intel security center www.intel.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 11 Nov 2026, 15:38.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free for some Intel(R) Wireless Software for Windows within Ring 3: User Applications may allow denial of service. Unprivileged software adversary with an authenticated user combined with a high complexity attack may enable denial of service. This result may potentially occur via local access when attack requirements are present without special internal knowledge and requires no user interaction. The potential vulnerability may impact the confidentiality (none), integrity (low) and availability (high) of the vulnerable system, resulting in subsequent system confidentiality (none), integrity (low) and availability (low) impacts.
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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