CVE-2023-29494

Privilege escalation via improper BIOS input validation

Published Aug 11, 2023 · Updated Oct 18, 2024

Improper input validation in BIOS firmware for some Intel NUC Boards allows local users to escalate privileges on affected devices. Intel has not published the input locus, accepted data, or validation error within the BIOS firmware. Exploitation requires high privileges and local access and can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability beyond the firmware security scope.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in BIOS firmware for some Intel NUC Boards allows local users to escalate privileges on affected devices. Intel has not published the input locus, accepted data, or validation error within the BIOS firmware. Exploitation requires high privileges and local access and can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability beyond the firmware security scope.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-29494
Published
Aug 11, 2023
Updated
Oct 18, 2024
Vendor
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
Product
Intel NUC Boards
Classifications
CWE-20, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 11, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 18, 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=See references

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. · Intel NUC Boardsversion=See references

Published CVSS scores

6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.5Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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