CVE-2022-0004
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedHardware debug modes and processor INIT setting that allow override of locks for some Intel(R) Processors in Intel(R) Boot Guard and Intel(R) TXT may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via physical access.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThis vulnerability in Intel Boot Guard and Intel TXT allows hardware debug modes and processor INIT settings to override security locks, potentially enabling privilege escalation through physical access. An unauthenticated attacker with physical access can bypass boot integrity protections.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 16.0.15< 16.0.15< 16.0.15< 16.0.15< 16.0.15< 16.0.15< 16.0.15< 16.0.15CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Physical
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify the processor modelUse system information utilities (such as 'wmic cpu get name' on Windows or 'lscpu' on Linux) or check the system BIOS information to confirm the exact Intel Core i3 or i5 processor variantAffected if The installed processor matches one of the affected models: i3-12100, i3-12100f, i3-12100t, i3-12300t, i3-12300, i5-12600t, i5-12600kf, or i5-12600hx
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Check the firmware versionAccess the BIOS/UEFI setup during boot (typically via DEL, F2, or F12 key) and locate the firmware or BIOS version information under the Main or Information section, or use Intel Processor Identification Utility if availableAffected if The firmware version is below 16.0.15 for the affected processor models
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Verify Intel Boot Guard statusEnter the BIOS/UEFI settings and look for Intel Boot Guard configuration options (often under Security, Boot, or Advanced settings). Check if Boot Guard is enabled or set to 'Enabled' or 'Configured'Affected if Intel Boot Guard is present and enabled on the system (the vulnerability allows bypass of its protections)
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Check Intel TXT (Trusted Execution Technology) statusAccess BIOS/UEFI settings and locate Intel TXT or Trusted Execution Technology settings (typically under Security or Advanced options). Verify whether TXT is enabled or disabledAffected if Intel TXT is enabled on the affected system
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Inspect debug interface settingsIn BIOS/UEFI settings, examine options related to hardware debug ports, JTAG, or processor initialization settings (often under Security, Debug Settings, or direct processor configuration menus)Affected if Debug modes, JTAG, or similar hardware debug interfaces are enabled or accessible in the firmware settings
A system is affected if it uses one of the listed Intel Core i3 or i5 processor variants with firmware version below 16.0.15 and has Intel Boot Guard or Intel TXT enabled, as the vulnerability allows physical attackers to bypass boot integrity protections.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped16.0.15
Primary mitigation involves physical access controls and disabling debug interfaces in BIOS/UEFI firmware settings. Organizations should also ensure secure supply chain and apply Intel-provided firmware updates when available.
Firmware version 16.0.15 or later for affected Intel Core i3/i5 processors
- Identify the exact Intel processor model (e.g., Core i3-12100, Core i5-12600kf) from the affected systems
- Navigate to the Intel Support website or use Intel's Driver & Support Assistant to locate the appropriate firmware update
- Download the BIOS/firmware update version 16.0.15 or later for the specific processor model
- Follow Intel's standard firmware update procedure, which typically involves: a) Running the firmware update executable or b) Using the BIOS/UEFI flash utility
- Restart the system after applying the firmware update to ensure the security fix is fully applied
- Verify the installed firmware version is 16.0.15 or later via BIOS/UEFI settings or system information tools
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-0004 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-0004 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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