CVE-2024-52878
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 · uneditedAn issue was discovered in Insyde InsydeH2O kernel 5.2 before version 05.29.50, kernel 5.3 before version 05.38.50, kernel 5.4 before version 05.46.50, kernel 5.5 before version 05.54.50, kernel 5.6 before version 05.61.50, and kernel 5.7 before version 05.70.50. In VariableRuntimeDxe driver, VariableServicesSetVariable () can be called by gRT_>SetVariable () or the SmmSetSensitiveVariable () or SmmInternalSetVariable () from SMM. In VariableServicesSetVariable (), it uses StrSize () to get variable name size, uses StrLen () to get variable name length and uses StrCmp () to compare strings. These actions may cause a buffer over-read.
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 confidenceBuffer over-read vulnerability in Insyde InsydeH2O UEFI firmware's VariableRuntimeDxe driver. The VariableServicesSetVariable() function improperly handles variable names using StrSize(), StrLen(), and StrCmp() string operations, allowing reading beyond buffer boundaries. The function can be triggered via gRT->SetVariable() or SMM paths (SmmSetSensitiveVariable/SmmInternalSetVariable).
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, < 5.2.05.29.50>= 5.3, < 5.3.05.38.50>= 5.4, < 5.4.05.46.50>= 5.5, < 5.5.05.54.50>= 5.6, < 5.6.05.61.50>= 5.7, < 5.7.05.70.50CVSS 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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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 UEFI firmware vendor and versionCheck the system firmware version via UEFI setup (BIOS screen) or by running 'dmidecode -s bios-version' from Linux. The version string typically appears as a build number like '5.2.x.xx' or similar.Affected if The displayed version falls within any of these ranges: 5.2 to 5.2.05.29.49, 5.3 to 5.3.05.38.49, 5.4 to 5.4.05.46.49, 5.5 to 5.5.05.54.49, 5.6 to 5.6.05.61.49, or 5.7 to 5.7.05.70.49
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Confirm InsydeH2O firmware is in useRun 'dmidecode -s bios-vendor' or 'dmidecode -s baseboard-manufacturer' to verify the system uses Insyde InsydeH2O UEFI firmware rather than another vendor.Affected if The vendor is Insyde or the firmware is branded as InsydeH2O, indicating the vulnerable code base is present
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Check kernel version for additional contextRun 'uname -r' to identify the Linux kernel version. While not directly related to the UEFI flaw, this helps confirm the runtime environment.Affected if This step provides context only and does not indicate vulnerability status
A system is affected if it runs Insyde InsydeH2O UEFI firmware with a version number below the fixed releases (05.29.50 for 5.2, 05.38.50 for 5.3, 05.46.50 for 5.4, 05.54.50 for 5.5, 05.61.50 for 5.6, or 05.70.50 for 5.7).
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 · scoped5.2.05.29.505.3.05.38.505.4.05.46.50
Update InsydeH2O kernel firmware to version 05.29.50 or later (5.2), 05.38.50 or later (5.3), 05.46.50 or later (5.4), 05.54.50 or later (5.5), 05.61.50 or later (5.6), or 05.70.50 or later (5.7) as appropriate for the installed kernel version.
Upgrade to InsydeH2O kernel 5.2.05.29.50 / 5.3.05.38.50 / 5.4.05.46.50 / 5.5.05.54.50 (or later) depending on which branch is in use; for kernel 5.6 use 05.61.50 or later, for kernel 5.7 use 05.70.50 or later
- Identify the specific InsydeH2O kernel version used by the system (check via UEFI firmware setup or system information)
- Contact the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or system vendor to obtain the patched firmware update for the specific kernel version (5.2, 5.3, 5.4, or 5.5)
- Apply the firmware update following the OEM's documented update process, typically through a firmware flashing utility or via UEFI update mechanism
- Verify the firmware has been successfully updated to the fixed version (5.2.05.29.50 or later, 5.3.05.38.50 or later, 5.4.05.46.50 or later, or 5.5.05.54.50 or later)
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing16.0 h
- Review / QA8.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-52878 — 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-2024-52878 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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