CVE-2022-21794 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2022-21794, a high-severity vulnerability in Intel NUC BIOS firmware allowing privilege escalation. Find mitigation steps and affected systems details.
This article provides detailed information about CVE-2022-21794, including its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.
Understanding CVE-2022-21794
CVE-2022-21794 is a vulnerability related to improper authentication in BIOS firmware for specific Intel NUC products, potentially allowing escalation of privilege for a privileged user with local access.
What is CVE-2022-21794?
The vulnerability in Intel(R) NUC Boards, Intel(R) NUC Business, Intel(R) NUC Enthusiast, and Intel(R) NUC Kits before version HN0067 can enable a privileged user to achieve escalation of privilege.
The Impact of CVE-2022-21794
The impact of CVE-2022-21794 is rated as HIGH, with a CVSS base score of 7.7. This vulnerability could be exploited by a local user to gain escalated privileges on affected systems.
Technical Details of CVE-2022-21794
This section covers the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from improper authentication in the BIOS firmware of the specified Intel NUC products, potentially allowing a privileged user to enable escalation of privilege through local access.
Affected Systems and Versions
Intel(R) NUC Boards, Intel(R) NUC Business, Intel(R) NUC Enthusiast, and Intel(R) NUC Kits before version HN0067 are affected by this vulnerability.
Exploitation Mechanism
A privileged user with local access to the affected systems may exploit this vulnerability to elevate their privileges.
Mitigation and Prevention
In response to CVE-2022-21794, users are advised to take immediate steps and adopt long-term security practices to mitigate the risk of exploitation.
Immediate Steps to Take
Users should apply security updates provided by Intel to address the vulnerability. It is recommended to patch affected systems promptly.
Long-Term Security Practices
Maintaining strong access controls, regularly updating firmware, and monitoring system activity can help prevent security vulnerabilities such as CVE-2022-21794.
Patching and Updates
Ensure that system firmware, especially BIOS, is kept up to date with the latest versions to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.