CVE-2021-33123

Privileged local escalation via BIOS access control

Published May 12, 2022 · Updated May 5, 2025

Improper access control in the BIOS authenticated code module for Intel processors allows privileged users to escalate privileges through local access. The module fails to enforce authorization when processing authenticated code, permitting privileged local callers to invoke protected functionality. Exploitation requires a privileged local account and can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability through escalation of privilege.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in the BIOS authenticated code module for Intel processors allows privileged users to escalate privileges through local access. The module fails to enforce authorization when processing authenticated code, permitting privileged local callers to invoke protected functionality. Exploitation requires a privileged local account and can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability through escalation of privilege.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-33123
Published
May 12, 2022
Updated
May 5, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 12, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 5, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

8.2IntelCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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