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Nuc 9 Pro Compute Element Nuc9v7qnb FirmwareOperating system · Intel

CVE-2023-28743

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-01-19
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
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
Improper input validation for some Intel NUC BIOS firmware before version QN0073 may allow a privileged user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via local 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 confidence

Improper input validation in Intel NUC BIOS firmware before version QN0073 allows a local privileged user to potentially escalate their privileges. This firmware-level vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of input parameters within the BIOS, which can be exploited to gain elevated system access.

MitigationUpdate Intel NUC BIOS firmware to version QN0073 or later to remediate the improper input validation vulnerability.

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
Nuc 9 Pro Compute Element Nuc9v7qnb FirmwareOperating system
Affected:= qncflx70.0073
Nuc Pro Compute Element Nuc9v7qnx FirmwareOperating system
Affected:= qncflx70.0073
Nuc 9 Pro Kit Nuc9v7qnb FirmwareOperating system
Affected:= qncflx70.0073
Nuc 9 Pro Kit Nuc9v7qnx FirmwareOperating system
Affected:= qncflx70.0073

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

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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 the Intel NUC model
    Locate the product label on the device or check the original packaging, system information (Windows Device Manager or Linux lspci), or Intel's product specification. Look for the model number such as Nuc9v7qnb or Nuc9v7qnx.
    Affected if The model is one of: Intel Nuc 9 Pro Compute Element Nuc9v7qnb, Intel Nuc Pro Compute Element Nuc9v7qnx, Intel Nuc 9 Pro Kit Nuc9v7qnb, or Intel Nuc 9 Pro Kit Nuc9v7qnx.
  2. Retrieve the current BIOS firmware version
    Boot the system and press F2 during startup to enter BIOS setup, then navigate to the Main or Information section to view the BIOS version. Alternatively, use Intel NUC Support Assistant, Intel System Update Utility, or run 'dmidecode -s bios-version' on Linux, or check 'System Information' on Windows.
    Affected if The installed BIOS firmware version is displayed on screen.
  3. Compare the installed version against the affected range
    The affected firmware version listed is qncflx70.0073. Compare your retrieved version number against this. The vulnerability exists in versions before QN0073 (the fixed release). Note the exact version string shown in the previous step.
    Affected if The installed version is qncflx70.0073, or any version older than QN0073.
  4. Verify the vulnerability prerequisite
    This is a firmware-level vulnerability requiring local privileged access. Confirm whether the system allows local user accounts with elevated privileges or administrative boot options. The flaw is in BIOS input validation, so it applies regardless of OS.
    Affected if The system is an affected NUC model running any BIOS version before QN0073, and a local privileged user can interact with the BIOS or boot process.

If the Intel NUC model matches one of the four affected products (Nuc9v7qnb or Nuc9v7qnx variants) and the BIOS firmware version is qncflx70.0073 or earlier (anything before QN0073), the environment is vulnerable to privilege escalation via improper input validation in the BIOS.

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
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update Intel NUC BIOS firmware to version QN0073 or later to remediate the improper input validation vulnerability.

Recommended fix High confidence

BIOS firmware version QN0073 or later

  1. Download the latest BIOS firmware for your Intel NUC 9 Pro from the official Intel support website (support.intel.com)
  2. Verify the downloaded BIOS update matches your specific NUC model number (Nuc9v7qnb or Nuc9v7qnx)
  3. Extract the BIOS update file and follow Intel's instructions to create a USB recovery/update media
  4. Power on the NUC and enter BIOS setup (press F2 during boot)
  5. If performing a standard update: run the BIOS update utility from within Windows or from the USB bootable update media
  6. If performing a recovery update: boot from the USB recovery media and follow the on-screen instructions to flash the new BIOS
  7. Allow the update process to complete without interrupting power - this may take several minutes
  8. After the update completes, the system will automatically restart
Caveat BIOS updates carry a small risk of system damage if interrupted; ensure stable power and do not interrupt the flashing process

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

Fix this in Nuc 9 Pro Compute Element Nuc9v7qnb Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
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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-2023-28743 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data