CVE-2022-32267
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 · uneditedDMA transactions which are targeted at input buffers used for the SmmResourceCheckDxe software SMI handler cause SMRAM corruption (a TOCTOU attack) DMA transactions which are targeted at input buffers used for the software SMI handler used by the SmmResourceCheckDxe driver could cause SMRAM corruption through a TOCTOU attack... This issue was discovered by Insyde engineering. Fixed in kernel Kernel 5.2: 05.27.23. Kernel 5.3: 05.36.23. Kernel 5.4: 05.44.23. Kernel 5.5: 05.52.23 https://www.insyde.com/security-pledge/SA-2022046
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 · moderate confidenceDMA transactions targeting input buffers used for the SmmResourceCheckDxe software SMI handler can cause SMRAM (Security Mode RAM) corruption through a Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability, allowing an attacker to potentially execute code in the highly privileged System Management Mode.
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>= 5.2, < 5.2.05.27.23>= 5.3, < 5.3.05.36.23>= 5.4, < 5.4.05.44.23>= 5.5, < 5.5.05.52.23CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/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 Insyde Kernel versionCheck the UEFI/BIOS version information via system information tool, dmidecode -s bios-version, or access the BIOS setup screen and look for the Insyde Kernel version stringAffected if The installed Insyde Kernel version falls within any of these ranges: 5.2.x < 5.2.05.27.23, 5.3.x < 5.3.05.36.23, 5.4.x < 5.4.05.44.23, or 5.5.x < 5.5.05.52.23
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Verify DMA-capable interfaces are presentCheck system hardware configuration for DMA-capable ports such as Thunderbolt, PCIe add-in cards, or FireWire. This can be done via lspci, system device manager, or physical inspection of available portsAffected if DMA-capable expansion ports or controllers are physically present and exposed to the operating system
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Confirm DMA interface is enabled in UEFI/BIOSAccess the UEFI/BIOS settings and check whether DMA-capable interfaces (Thunderbolt, PCIe hot-plug, FireWire, etc.) are enabled in the configurationAffected if DMA interfaces are enabled in the UEFI/BIOS configuration, allowing DMA transactions to the input buffers used by SmmResourceCheckDxe
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Check SMM configurationExamine UEFI/BIOS settings for System Management Mode configuration options, particularly any settings related to SMM resource protection or DMA protection for SMRAMAffected if SMRAM protection against DMA is not properly configured or is disabled, allowing potential SMRAM access
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Verify SMI handler is activeCheck system firmware logs or use diagnostic tools to confirm the SmmResourceCheckDxe SMI handler is present and active in the system management mode configurationAffected if The SmmResourceCheckDxe software SMI handler is loaded and active in the UEFI firmware
The system is affected if the Insyde Kernel version is within the vulnerable ranges AND DMA-capable interfaces are present and enabled in the UEFI/BIOS, allowing potential DMA transactions to reach the TOCTOU-vulnerable SMI handler.
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 · scoped5.2.05.27.235.3.05.36.235.4.05.44.23
Apply vendor-specific UEFI/BIOS firmware updates from Insyde for the affected kernel versions (5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5) released in May 2023; this requires obtaining the update from the original equipment manufacturer and flashing the updated firmware.
Kernel 5.2: 05.27.23 or later; Kernel 5.3: 05.36.23 or later; Kernel 5.4: 05.44.23 or later; Kernel 5.5: 05.52.23 or later
- Identify the current Insyde kernel version by checking the UEFI/BIOS information or system firmware version
- Download the corresponding fixed kernel firmware from Insyde's official support site based on your current kernel version (5.2, 5.3, 5.4, or 5.5)
- Apply the firmware update using the vendor's recommended method (typically through a BIOS/UEFI update utility or firmware flashing tool)
- Reboot the system to complete the firmware update process
- Verify the update was successful by confirming the kernel version matches or exceeds the fixed release (5.2: 05.27.23, 5.3: 05.36.23, 5.4: 05.44.23, or 5.5: 05.52.23)
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-32267 — 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-2022-32267 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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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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