CVE-2024-52879
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, SmmUpdateVariablePropertySmi () is a SMM callback function and it uses StrCmp () to compare variable names. This action 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 confidenceInsydeH2O kernel versions before 05.29.50 (5.2), 05.38.50 (5.3), 05.46.50 (5.4), 05.54.50 (5.5), 05.61.50 (5.6), and 05.70.50 (5.7) contain a buffer over-read in the VariableRuntimeDxe driver's SmmUpdateVariablePropertySmi() function, which runs in SMM (System Management Mode). The function uses StrCmp() to compare variable names without proper bounds checking, potentially allowing an attacker to read beyond buffer boundaries.
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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Retrieve the InsydeH2O kernel versionOn Linux, run `sudo dmidecode -s bios-version` or `cat /sys/class/dmi/id/bios_version`. On Windows, run `wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion`. This displays the InsydeH2O firmware version string.Affected if The version string falls within any of these ranges: >= 5.2 but < 05.29.50; >= 5.3 but < 05.38.50; >= 5.4 but < 05.46.50; >= 5.5 but < 05.54.50; >= 5.6 but < 05.61.50; >= 5.7 but < 05.70.50
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Verify the VariableRuntimeDxe driver is presentThis driver is part of the UEFI firmware image. Check your system's UEFI/BIOS firmware dump or use a tool like `uefi-firmware-parser` or `chipsec` to examine the firmware ROM for the VariableRuntimeDxe driver. The driver is typically named VariableRuntimeDxe.efi or similar within the firmware volume.Affected if The VariableRuntimeDxe driver exists in the firmware and its version (if exposed) or the overall firmware version is in the affected ranges from step 1.
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Confirm SMM is enabledOn Linux, run `mceutil --smi` or check `/proc/bootinfo` for SMM status. On Windows, use `bcdedit /enum all` and look for memory protection settings. The vulnerability only affects systems with an active SMM (System Management Mode) configuration.Affected if SMM is enabled and the firmware version is in the affected ranges. If SMM is disabled or not present, the attack surface is reduced though the vulnerable code may still be present.
If the InsydeH2O firmware version is lower than 05.29.50 for 5.2-based, 05.38.50 for 5.3-based, 05.46.50 for 5.4-based, 05.54.50 for 5.5-based, 05.61.50 for 5.6-based, or 05.70.50 for 5.7-based builds, the system is affected by this buffer over-read vulnerability in the VariableRuntimeDxe driver.
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
Apply vendor-provided firmware updates to the patched kernel versions listed. As this is a SMM vulnerability, prioritize updating systems with exposure to untrusted peripheral devices or network-adjacent attack vectors.
Upgrade to InsydeH2O kernel 5.2 version 05.29.50 or later; kernel 5.3 version 05.38.50 or later; kernel 5.4 version 05.46.50 or later; kernel 5.5 version 05.54.50 or later (also kernel 5.6 version 05.61.50 or later; kernel 5.7 version 05.70.50 if applicable)
- Identify the InsydeH2O kernel version currently installed on the affected system
- Contact the hardware vendor (OEM) that uses InsydeH2O firmware to obtain the appropriate BIOS/UEFI firmware update
- Apply the vendor-provided firmware update to remediate the vulnerability
- Verify the firmware update was successfully applied by checking the InsydeH2O kernel version
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-52879 — 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-2024-52879 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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