CVE-2024-29214
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows a privileged user (like an administrator) to potentially escalate privileges through improper input validation in UEFI firmware's CseVariableStorageSmm component on affected Intel processors. It requires local access to the system and affects systems with vulnerable Intel processors and firmware.
💻 Affected Systems
- Intel processors with vulnerable UEFI firmware
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
A privileged attacker could gain full system control, bypass security boundaries, and potentially install persistent firmware-level malware.
Likely Case
A malicious administrator or compromised privileged account could elevate privileges to gain deeper system access or bypass security controls.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and least privilege principles, the attack surface is reduced, though the vulnerability remains present in firmware.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local privileged access and knowledge of UEFI/SMM programming. No public exploit code known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Firmware updates from system/device manufacturers
Vendor Advisory: https://intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-01139.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check Intel SA-01139 for affected processor models. 2. Contact your system/device manufacturer for firmware updates. 3. Apply firmware update following manufacturer instructions. 4. Reboot system to activate new firmware.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict privileged access
allLimit local administrator/root access to essential personnel only to reduce attack surface.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls and monitor privileged user activities
- Consider hardware replacement if firmware updates are unavailable for critical systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check system firmware version against manufacturer's patched versions. Use commands like 'dmidecode -t bios' on Linux or 'wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion' on Windows to get current version.Check Version:
Linux: dmidecode -t bios | grep Version; Windows: wmic bios get smbiosbiosversionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version matches or exceeds patched version from manufacturer. Check that CVE-2024-29214 is listed as resolved in firmware release notes.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual firmware access attempts in system logs
- Privilege escalation events from known users
Network Indicators:
- None - local exploitation only
SIEM Query:
EventID=4688 OR ProcessName contains 'UEFI' OR 'SMM' combined with privilege escalation alerts