CVE-2024-42446 in AptioV
Summary
by MITRE • 05/13/2025
APTIOV contains a vulnerability in BIOS where an attacker may cause a Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition by local means. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-42446 resides within the APTIOV firmware implementation, specifically manifesting as a Time-of-check Time-of-use race condition that can be exploited through local means. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the firmware layer that governs system boot processes and hardware initialization. The vulnerability stems from improper synchronization mechanisms during file or resource access operations within the BIOS environment, creating a temporal window where the system's state can be manipulated between the moment a check is performed and when the actual operation is executed. Such race conditions are particularly dangerous in firmware contexts because they can be leveraged to bypass security controls that rely on proper state validation during system initialization phases.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker with local access can manipulate the system state during the critical window between when a security check is performed and when the corresponding action is executed. This typically involves manipulating files, memory locations, or system resources that are being validated for access permissions or integrity checks. The race condition allows an attacker to alter the target resource between the validation step and the execution step, potentially causing the system to operate on corrupted or malicious data. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-367 which specifically addresses Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use race conditions, making it a well-documented and recognized weakness in software security design patterns.
The operational impact of successful exploitation of CVE-2024-42446 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise capabilities. Arbitrary code execution within the BIOS context provides attackers with unprecedented control over system operations, potentially allowing for persistent backdoor installation, firmware modification, or complete system takeover. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because BIOS-level attacks can bypass traditional operating system security mechanisms and are often undetectable by standard endpoint protection solutions. The attack surface is limited to local access scenarios, meaning that exploitation requires physical presence or network access to a system where the attacker can interact with the firmware directly, but this still represents a significant threat vector in environments where physical security is not properly maintained.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-42446 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. Firmware vendors should implement proper synchronization mechanisms to eliminate the race condition window, such as using atomic operations or mutex locks during critical resource access sequences. System administrators should ensure that all firmware updates are applied promptly, as this vulnerability likely has corresponding patches available from the firmware vendor. Physical security measures must be enforced to prevent unauthorized local access to systems, particularly those running affected APTIOV implementations. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and T1542.001 which covers 'Pre-OS Boot' attacks, both of which emphasize the importance of securing firmware layers and preventing unauthorized modifications to system boot processes. Organizations should also consider implementing firmware integrity monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized changes to BIOS components and provide alerts when potential exploitation attempts are detected.