CVE-2022-38695

Privilege escalation via unchecked BootROM command index

Published Sep 1, 2025 · Updated Sep 1, 2025

Privilege escalation in Unisoc BootROM allows physically proximate attackers to execute code with BootROM privileges over USB. The recovery-mode USB dispatcher uses an arbitrary 16-bit command value to index a five-entry function table without checking that the value is 0 through 4. Brief physical access and entry into recovery mode are required; an out-of-range value makes adjacent read-only memory act as a function pointer, although the report found no obvious path to place attacker-controlled code there.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Unisoc BootROM allows physically proximate attackers to execute code with BootROM privileges over USB. The recovery-mode USB dispatcher uses an arbitrary 16-bit command value to index a five-entry function table without checking that the value is 0 through 4. Brief physical access and entry into recovery mode are required; an out-of-range value makes adjacent read-only memory act as a function pointer, although the report found no obvious path to place attacker-controlled code there.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-38695
Published
Sep 1, 2025
Updated
Sep 1, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-250, T1404
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 1, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-250Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
T1404Exploitation 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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo