CVE-2023-40067

Physical privilege escalation via unchecked return value

Published Aug 14, 2024 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Unchecked return-value handling in Intel CSME firmware allows physically proximate attackers to escalate privileges without authentication. The firmware fails to check a function's return value, but Intel has not disclosed the function, failure path, or affected subsystem. Physical access to an affected chipset is required; successful exploitation alters CSME integrity and can expose limited data in a subsequent component.

CVSS severity5.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unchecked return-value handling in Intel CSME firmware allows physically proximate attackers to escalate privileges without authentication. The firmware fails to check a function's return value, but Intel has not disclosed the function, failure path, or affected subsystem. Physical access to an affected chipset is required; successful exploitation alters CSME integrity and can expose limited data in a subsequent component.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40067
Published
Aug 14, 2024
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
Product
Intel Converged Security and Manageability Engine
Classifications
CWE-252, T1068
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 14, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 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 references

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. · Intel Converged Security and Manageability Engineversion=See references
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. · Intel Converged Security and Management Engine Firmwareversion=0 <15.0.49; version=0 <15.40.34; version=0 <16.1.32

Published CVSS scores

5.7Intel CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:N
5.7Intel CorporationCVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:L/SI:H/SA:N

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-252Unchecked Return Value
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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