CVE-2021-42299Public exploit

Boot-health attestation bypass via unextended SHA256 PCRs

Published Oct 20, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

A TPM attestation bypass in Microsoft Surface Pro 3 BIOS 3.11.2550 and earlier allows physically proximate attackers to falsify boot health. When SHA1 and SHA256 PCR banks are enabled, the firmware extends only SHA1, leaving low SHA256 PCRs empty for attacker-supplied measurements. Exploitation requires physical control to boot an unmeasured operating system, after which the TPM can produce a valid quote for a fabricated healthy state.

CVSS severity5.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.86%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A TPM attestation bypass in Microsoft Surface Pro 3 BIOS 3.11.2550 and earlier allows physically proximate attackers to falsify boot health. When SHA1 and SHA256 PCR banks are enabled, the firmware extends only SHA1, leaving low SHA256 PCRs empty for attacker-supplied measurements. Exploitation requires physical control to boot an unmeasured operating system, after which the TPM can produce a valid quote for a fabricated healthy state.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-42299
Published
Oct 20, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Classifications
T1211
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 20, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=N/A

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft Surface Pro 3version=N/A

Published CVSS scores

6.1NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:N
5.6Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:N

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1211Exploitation for Defense Evasion

Public exploit references

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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