CVE-2022-23954

SMM code execution via unchecked communication-buffer size

Published Mar 2, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

SMM memory corruption in HP PC BIOS allows local users with kernel privileges to execute arbitrary code in System Management Mode. The child SW SMI handler checks whether communication data lies outside SMRAM but fails to validate the communication-buffer size before writing an eight-byte status value to a predictable address. Kernel-level access is required; successful exploitation corrupts SMRAM and can hijack S3-resume control flow for persistent firmware-level code execution.

CVSS severity7.9
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

SMM memory corruption in HP PC BIOS allows local users with kernel privileges to execute arbitrary code in System Management Mode. The child SW SMI handler checks whether communication data lies outside SMRAM but fails to validate the communication-buffer size before writing an eight-byte status value to a predictable address. Kernel-level access is required; successful exploitation corrupts SMRAM and can hijack S3-resume control flow for persistent firmware-level code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-23954
Published
Mar 2, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1542.001, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 2, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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?

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

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
7.5BinarlyCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.9HPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1542.001System Firmware
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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