CVE-2024-38798
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an information disclosure vulnerability in EDK2 BIOS firmware where an attacker with local access can potentially read sensitive information from memory. This affects systems using vulnerable EDK2 firmware implementations, potentially exposing credentials, encryption keys, or other protected data. The vulnerability requires physical or local administrative access to exploit.
💻 Affected Systems
- EDK2 (UEFI Development Kit)
⚠️ 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
Attacker gains full system compromise by extracting encryption keys or authentication credentials, leading to complete system takeover and data exfiltration.
Likely Case
Local attacker extracts sensitive configuration data or memory contents, potentially enabling privilege escalation or lateral movement within the environment.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, impact is limited to information disclosure without escalation to full system compromise.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and knowledge of memory layout. Exploitation likely requires administrative privileges or physical access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check GHSA advisory for specific patched versions
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/tianocore/edk2/security/advisories/GHSA-q2c6-37h5-7cwf
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check system firmware/UEFI version. 2. Contact hardware vendor for BIOS/UEFI firmware updates. 3. Apply firmware update following vendor instructions. 4. Reboot system to activate patched firmware.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict physical and local administrative access
allLimit who has physical access to systems and reduce local administrative privileges
Enable secure boot and firmware protections
allConfigure UEFI secure boot and other firmware security features to limit attack surface
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict physical security controls and access monitoring
- Segment sensitive systems and apply principle of least privilege for local access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check system firmware version against vendor advisories or run: dmidecode -t bios (Linux) or wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion (Windows)Check Version:
Linux: dmidecode -t bios | grep Version; Windows: wmic bios get smbiosbiosversionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify firmware version after update matches patched version from vendor advisory📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual firmware access attempts
- Multiple failed BIOS/UEFI configuration changes
- Unexpected system reboots
Network Indicators:
- Not network exploitable - focus on local access monitoring
SIEM Query:
EventID=12 OR EventID=13 (System startup/shutdown) combined with unusual user activity patterns