CVE-2022-34147
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an improper input validation vulnerability in BIOS firmware for specific Intel NUC devices. A privileged user with local access could exploit this to escalate privileges on the affected system. The vulnerability affects Intel NUC 9 Extreme Laptop Kits, NUC Performance Kits, NUC Performance Mini PCs, NUC 8 Compute Elements, NUC Pro Kits, NUC Pro Boards, and NUC Compute Elements.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel NUC 9 Extreme Laptop Kits
- Intel NUC Performance Kits
- Intel NUC Performance Mini PC
- Intel NUC 8 Compute Element
- Intel NUC Pro Kit
- Intel NUC Pro Board
- Intel NUC Compute Element
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
A privileged attacker could gain full system control, potentially compromising the BIOS firmware itself, leading to persistent malware installation or complete system takeover.
Likely Case
A malicious insider or compromised privileged account could elevate privileges to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources or data.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls limiting local administrative privileges and BIOS password protection, the attack surface is significantly reduced.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires privileged local access and BIOS-level manipulation knowledge.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: BIOS updates specified in Intel advisory SA-00777
Vendor Advisory: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00777.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the latest BIOS update from Intel's support site for your specific NUC model. 2. Follow Intel's BIOS update instructions for your device. 3. Reboot the system to apply the BIOS update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Local Administrative Access
allLimit the number of users with local administrative privileges to reduce attack surface.
Enable BIOS Password Protection
allSet BIOS administrator password to prevent unauthorized BIOS modifications.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit who has local administrative privileges on affected systems.
- Physically secure affected devices to prevent unauthorized local access.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check BIOS version in system settings or using Intel's System Support Utility, then compare against patched versions in Intel advisory SA-00777.Check Version:
On Windows: wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion. On Linux: sudo dmidecode -s bios-version.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify BIOS version has been updated to the patched version specified in Intel's advisory.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual BIOS modification attempts
- Failed BIOS update attempts
- Multiple privilege escalation attempts from same user
Network Indicators:
- No network indicators - this is a local privilege escalation vulnerability
SIEM Query:
Look for events related to BIOS modifications or privilege escalation from administrative accounts.