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KernelApplication · Insyde

CVE-2022-33982

MEDIUM · 6.4 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-11-14
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.2.05.27.23 / 5.3.05.36.23 or later.
See remediation →
66/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

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 · unedited
DMA attacks on the parameter buffer used by the Int15ServiceSmm software SMI handler could lead to a TOCTOU attack on the SMI handler and lead to corruption of SMRAM. DMA attacks on the parameter buffer used by the software SMI handler used by the driver Int15ServiceSmm could lead to a TOCTOU attack on the SMI handler and lead to corruption of SMRAM. This issue was discovered by Insyde engineering during a security review. This issue is fixed in Kernel 5.2: 05.27.23, Kernel 5.3: 05.36.23, Kernel 5.4: 05.44.23 and Kernel 5.5: 05.52.23 CWE-367

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 confidence

DMA attacks on the parameter buffer in the Int15ServiceSmm SMI handler create a TOCTOU race condition that can corrupt SMRAM. The vulnerability exists because the parameter buffer is not sufficiently protected from DMA access, allowing an attacker to potentially modify data between the time it is checked and used within the SMM handler.

MitigationApply the vendor-provided firmware updates for Kernel 5.2 (05.27.23), 5.3 (05.36.23), 5.4 (05.44.23), and 5.5 (05.52.23). For systems that cannot be immediately patched, consider disabling DMA-capable expansion buses or implementing additional runtime SMM protection if available.

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
KernelApplication
Affected:>= 5.2, < 5.2.05.27.23>= 5.3, < 5.3.05.36.23>= 5.4, < 5.4.05.44.23>= 5.5, < 5.5.05.52.23

CVSS 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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Insyde Kernel version via dmidecode
    Run 'dmidecode -s bios-version' on Linux or 'wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion' on Windows to retrieve the BIOS/firmware version string
    Affected if The version string matches Insyde Kernel 5.2, 5.3, 4.5, or 5.5 but is below the fixed versions (05.27.23, 05.36.23, 05.44.23, or 05.52.23 respectively)
  2. Verify the BIOS vendor is Insyde
    Run 'dmidecode -s bios-vendor' or check the system BIOS information to confirm the firmware was developed by Insyde
    Affected if The BIOS vendor is not Insyde (the vulnerability only affects Insyde Kernel firmware)
  3. Check for Int15ServiceSmm handler presence
    Inspect the system firmware via 'dmidecode' or UEFI shell 'efiupdutil -l' if available, looking for SMM handler configuration related to INT15 services
    Affected if The system uses Insyde Kernel firmware with the Int15ServiceSmm SMI handler enabled (standard in affected versions)
  4. Compare version against affected ranges
    Parse the version string (format typically 5.X.XX.XX.XX) and compare numerically: for 5.2 branch check < 05.27.23; for 5.3 check < 05.36.23; for 5.4 check < 05.44.23; for 5.5 check < 05.52.23
    Affected if The installed version falls within any of the four affected version ranges and is not equal to or above the fixed release numbers

A system is affected if it runs Insyde Kernel firmware version 5.2 through the fixed 05.27.23, 5.3 through 05.36.23, 5.4 through 05.44.23, or 5.5 through 05.52.23 respectively.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 5.2.05.27.23 / 5.3.05.36.23 / 5.4.05.44.23 or later
Fixed in 5.2.05.27.235.3.05.36.235.4.05.44.23
Interim mitigation

Apply the vendor-provided firmware updates for Kernel 5.2 (05.27.23), 5.3 (05.36.23), 5.4 (05.44.23), and 5.5 (05.52.23). For systems that cannot be immediately patched, consider disabling DMA-capable expansion buses or implementing additional runtime SMM protection if available.

Recommended fix High confidence

Insyde Kernel 5.2 -> 05.27.23; Kernel 5.3 -> 05.36.23; Kernel 5.4 -> 05.44.23; Kernel 5.5 -> 05.52.23

  1. Identify the current Insyde Kernel firmware version by checking the UEFI/BIOS version reported in system information or during boot
  2. Determine which Kernel branch (5.2, 5.3, 5.4, or 5.5) the current firmware is based on
  3. Download the corresponding fixed firmware version from the vendor (Insyde) or original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
  4. Apply the firmware update through the vendor's recommended process, typically via UEFI/BIOS update utility or flashing tool
  5. Verify the update was successful by checking the new firmware version matches the target fixed version (5.2: 05.27.23, 5.3: 05.36.23, 5.4: 05.44.23, or 5.5: 05.52.23)
Caveat Firmware updates carry a risk of bricking the system if interrupted; ensure stable power and follow vendor instructions precisely

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Kernel Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
20.0 hours of engineering $3,500
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-33982 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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