With the addition of Push Button Encryption, and other planned features, runtime firmware can now modify the PIB. Consequently, host applications must not assume that the PIB has not changed since it was last downloaded. Atheros strongly recommends that applications always perform a read-modify-write when making PIB modifications. Failure to do so can result in infinite reset loops caused when a device modifies the PIB that has just been downloaded.

As one example, recent PIBs contain a network membership bit to indicate that the device has successfully joined the network associated with the current NMK. If the firmware detects the network and discovers that the membership bit is clear then it will join the network and set the bit. The firmware will then attempt to preserve the change by sending a VS_HOST_ACTION message to the local host. If the host application does not upload and store the changed PIB (as the device requested) before resetting the device then the original PIB will be downloaded again, after reset, and the process will repeat. Of course, a similar situation will occur when the device leaves the network and again when it joins another network.