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KernelApplication · Insyde

CVE-2022-33983

HIGH · 7.0 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-11-15
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.2.05.27.25 / 5.3.05.36.25 or later.
See remediation →
72/100
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 transactions which are targeted at input buffers used for the NvmExpressLegacy software SMI handler could cause SMRAM corruption through a TOCTOU attack. DMA transactions which are targeted at input buffers used for the software SMI handler used by the NvmExpressLegacy driver could cause SMRAM corruption through a TOCTOU attack. This issue was discovered by Insyde engineering based on the general description provided by Intel's iSTARE group. This issue was fixed in kernel 5.2: 05.27.25, kernel 5.3: 05.36.25, kernel 5.4: 05.44.25, kernel 5.5: 05.52.25 https://www.insyde.com/security-pledge/SA-2022053

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

This is a firmware-level TOCTOU (Time-Of-Check-Time-Of-Use) vulnerability in Insyde's UEFI NvmExpressLegacy driver. Attackers with DMA capabilities can manipulate input buffers during the window between validation and use in the software SMI handler, allowing corruption of SMRAM (System Management RAM) used by System Management Mode (SMM). This enables execution of arbitrary code in the highest CPU privilege level.

MitigationApply vendor-provided firmware updates from Insyde: kernel 5.2 to version 05.27.25 or later, kernel 5.3 to 05.36.25 or later, kernel 5.4 to 05.44.25 or later, and kernel 5.5 to 05.52.25 or later. Verify DMA protection settings in UEFI setup as an additional hardening measure.

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, < 5.2.05.27.25>= 5.3, < 5.3.05.36.25>= 5.4, < 5.4.05.44.25>= 5.5, < 5.5.05.52.25

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
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/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 if the system uses Insyde UEFI firmware
    Run 'dmidecode -s bios-vendor' or 'dmidecode -s bios-version' to determine if the BIOS/UEFI is provided by Insyde
    Affected if The BIOS vendor string contains 'Insyde' or 'InsydeH2O'
  2. Determine the Insyde kernel version from firmware
    Extract the firmware version string from dmidecode output (e.g., 'F50' or version numbers like 05.27') and map it to the Insyde kernel version numbering scheme, or consult Insyde documentation for version mapping
    Affected if The firmware version corresponds to an Insyde kernel version that falls within: 5.2 to <5.2.05.27.25, 5.3 to <5.3.05.36.25, 5.4 to <5.4.05.44.25, or 5.5 to <5.5.05.52.25
  3. Verify presence of NvmExpressLegacy driver in UEFI firmware
    Dump the UEFI firmware (using tools like 'flashrom -r firmware.bin' or platform-specific tools) and search for the string 'NvmExpressLegacy' within the firmware image
    Affected if The NvmExpressLegacy driver is found in the firmware dump, indicating it is included in the UEFI build

The system is affected if it uses Insyde UEFI firmware with a kernel version in any of the affected ranges and the NvmExpressLegacy driver is present in the firmware.

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 5.2.05.27.25 / 5.3.05.36.25 / 5.4.05.44.25 or later
Fixed in 5.2.05.27.255.3.05.36.255.4.05.44.25
Interim mitigation

Apply vendor-provided firmware updates from Insyde: kernel 5.2 to version 05.27.25 or later, kernel 5.3 to 05.36.25 or later, kernel 5.4 to 05.44.25 or later, and kernel 5.5 to 05.52.25 or later. Verify DMA protection settings in UEFI setup as an additional hardening measure.

Recommended fix High confidence

Upgrade to Insyde kernel 5.2:05.27.25 or later (for 5.2.x), 5.3:05.36.25 or later (for 5.3.x), 5.4:05.44.25 or later (for 5.4.x), or 5.5:05.52.25 or later (for 5.5.x)

  1. Identify the current Insyde kernel version by checking the UEFI/BIOS setup or system information
  2. Download the updated UEFI/BIOS firmware from the system manufacturer that includes kernel version 5.2:05.27.25 (or later), 5.3:05.36.25 (or later), 5.4:05.44.25 (or later), or 5.5:05.52.25 (or later)
  3. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to apply the firmware update (typically via USB or from within the UEFI/BIOS setup)
  4. After the update completes, reboot the system and verify the new kernel version is installed
Caveat Firmware updates carry a risk of bricking the system if interrupted; ensure stable power and follow manufacturer 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
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,600
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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-2022-33983 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data