CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-27493NVD status: Modified

Intel(R) NUC Laptop Kits: Improper Initialization

CVE-2022-27493 is a high-severity improper initialization vulnerability in Intel(R) NUC Laptop Kits, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Intel(R) NUC Laptop Kits versions: before version BC0076. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.22% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Lapbc510 Firmware to bc0076 or a later version.
  2. Update Lapbc710 Firmware to bc0076 or a later version.
  3. Read the advisory on intel.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Intel(R) NUC Laptop KitsIntel(R) NUC Laptop Kitsbefore version BC0076Not stated
IntelLapbc510 Firmwarebefore bc0076bc0076
IntelLapbc710 Firmwarebefore bc0076bc0076

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD
CVSS 3.17.8HighCISA (ADP)

Official description

Improper initialization in the firmware for some Intel(R) NUC Laptop Kits before version BC0076 may allow a privileged user to potentially enable an escalation of privilege via local access.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Initialization

The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, in Java, if the programmer does not explicitly initialize a variable, then the code could produce a compile-time error (if the variable is local) or automatically initialize the variable to the default value for the variable's type. In Perl, if explicit initialization is not performed, then a default value of undef is assigned, which is interpreted as 0, false, or an equivalent value depending on the context in which the variable is accessed.
  • Identify all variables and data stores that receive information from external sources, and apply input validation to make sure that they are only initialized to expected values.
  • Explicitly initialize all your variables and other data stores, either during declaration or just before the first usage.

More Improper Initialization vulnerabilities (CWE-665)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Intel(R) NUC Laptop Kits

All Intel(R) NUC Laptop Kits vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Initialization vulnerabilities

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