CVE-2022-24418 in Dell
Summary
by MITRE • 05/26/2022
Dell BIOS contains an improper input validation vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user may potentially exploit this vulnerability by using an SMI to gain arbitrary code execution during SMM.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24418 resides within Dell BIOS firmware implementations and represents a critical improper input validation flaw that undermines system security at the most fundamental level. This weakness specifically affects the System Management Mode execution environment where the SMI (System Management Interrupt) handler operates with elevated privileges, creating a dangerous attack surface for malicious actors who can manipulate input parameters during SMM execution. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of data inputs processed by the BIOS during system management operations, allowing an authenticated local user to craft malicious SMI calls that can bypass normal security boundaries and execute arbitrary code within the SMM context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the SMI handler which operates in a privileged execution environment separate from the operating system and user space applications. According to CWE-20, this represents a classic improper input validation issue where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before processing them within the SMM. The SMI handler's failure to validate input parameters creates a path for code injection attacks that can be leveraged by an attacker with local authenticated access to execute malicious code with the highest privilege level available to the system. This flaw operates at the intersection of hardware and firmware security, where traditional software security controls become ineffective due to the privileged nature of SMM execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-24418 extends far beyond typical software vulnerabilities due to its execution within the System Management Mode which operates with unrestricted access to system hardware and memory. This vulnerability allows for persistent backdoor creation, hardware-level data manipulation, and complete system compromise that can survive operating system reinstallation or even hardware replacement. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent access, modify system firmware, intercept system calls, and potentially disable security features that normally protect the system from malicious activity. The vulnerability's impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes local privilege escalation and T1542 which covers privilege escalation through kernel or system-level modifications, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where system integrity is paramount.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture strengthening. Dell has released BIOS updates that correct the input validation issues within the SMI handler, requiring immediate deployment of patched firmware versions across affected systems. Organizations should implement firmware integrity monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized modifications to BIOS components and establish baseline configurations that prevent unauthorized SMI handler modifications. The security community recommends maintaining strict access controls to systems with privileged firmware interfaces and implementing hardware-based security features such as Intel's Platform Trust Technology or AMD's Secure Processor to provide additional protection layers. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their firmware configurations and establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle firmware-level compromises that may not be detectable through traditional operating system security monitoring tools.