CVE-2022-27539

Low-privilege SMM code execution via DMA timing

Published Jun 12, 2023 · Updated Jan 3, 2025

TOCTOU race conditions in HP PC BIOS allow local users to execute arbitrary code in SMM through DMA timing against SMI handlers. Vulnerable SMI handlers validate SMRAM communication data before use, but asynchronous DMA can alter the validated memory before the handler consumes it. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access, high-complexity timing, and affected HP hardware; success can expose data, persist below the operating system, or permanently stop execution.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

TOCTOU race conditions in HP PC BIOS allow local users to execute arbitrary code in SMM through DMA timing against SMI handlers. Vulnerable SMI handlers validate SMRAM communication data before use, but asynchronous DMA can alter the validated memory before the handler consumes it. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access, high-complexity timing, and affected HP hardware; success can expose data, persist below the operating system, or permanently stop execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-27539
Published
Jun 12, 2023
Updated
Jan 3, 2025
Vendor
Plantronics
Product
HP PC BIOS
Classifications
CWE-367, T1542.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 12, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 3, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=See HP Security Bulletin reference for affected versions.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Plantronics · HP PC BIOSversion=See HP Security Bulletin reference for affected versions.

Published CVSS scores

7.8HP Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-367Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
T1542.001Pre-OS Boot: System Firmware

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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