CVE-2022-22566

Physical code execution via prematurely enabled DMA

Published Feb 9, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Pre-boot DMA in Dell Client Platform BIOS before 1.15 allows physically proximate attackers to execute arbitrary code through a DMA device. The firmware enables a DMA-capable device before its security configuration is established, permitting direct reads from or writes to main memory during early boot. Exploitation requires physical access and authentication, and successful abuse grants code execution on the device.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
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

Pre-boot DMA in Dell Client Platform BIOS before 1.15 allows physically proximate attackers to execute arbitrary code through a DMA device. The firmware enables a DMA-capable device before its security configuration is established, permitting direct reads from or writes to main memory during early boot. Exploitation requires physical access and authentication, and successful abuse grants code execution on the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-22566
Published
Feb 9, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Dell
Product
Dell Client Platform BIOS
Classifications
CWE-1190, CAPEC-180, T1200
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 9, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <1.15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell · Dell Client Platform BIOSversion=unspecified <1.15

Published CVSS scores

6.9DellCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:P/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1190DMA Device Enabled Too Early in Boot Phase
CAPEC-180Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels
T1200Hardware Additions

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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