Local firmware code execution via DMA race
Published Feb 3, 2023 · Updated Mar 25, 2025
A TOCTOU race in AMI UEFI firmware on certain HP PCs allows local users to execute code, shut down the system, or disclose data. A vulnerable SMI handler checks a communication buffer before use, allowing DMA to alter SMRAM-bound data between validation and consumption. Local low-privilege access and precise DMA timing are required; successful exploitation can execute code in SMM below the operating system.
Summary
What happened
A TOCTOU race in AMI UEFI firmware on certain HP PCs allows local users to execute code, shut down the system, or disclose data. A vulnerable SMI handler checks a communication buffer before use, allowing DMA to alter SMRAM-bound data between validation and consumption. Local low-privilege access and precise DMA timing are required; successful exploitation can execute code in SMM below the operating system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-43779
- Published
- Feb 3, 2023
- Updated
- Mar 25, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-367, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 3, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 25, 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?
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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